the moment.

Every now and then, you’ll find yourself in a moment of clarity.
That moment when it hits you, where it all completely makes sense.
That moment when you realize, you were never meant to be anywhere
except for exactly where you are.
That every little insignificant thing that has happened to you,
and all the significant things;
all the bullshit, all the heartache,
all the choices you’ve made or didn’t make along the way.
It has all lead you to this point.

And when that moment hits,
all you need to do is
be present
and
be grateful.

Endless likes

No matter what social media platform it is,
You can never run out of “likes” to give.
The limit does not exist.
It’s like that in real life, too.

If you like what someone is wearing,
Tell them.
If you think someone’s new haircut really brings out their eyes,
Tell them.

If you are thinking something nice about someone —
Anything nice about someone,
Always, always, always
Just tell them.

We can start a movement
By hitting the “like” button
In person too.

This one time I slapped a kid in the face at Solon Home Days

I leave the house in an excited rush.
My friends are waiting in my driveway,
An older sister behind the wheel
Because we are too young to drive ourselves.
Eager to devour ice cream, to experience the
Pop-up carnival at the community park
On a warm, beautiful July day.

Alarms go off in my head as I see
Not one, but two
Two of my brothers jerk friends round the corner
Appearing to approach my house.
Did I lock the door?
I ask myself anxiously as we pull away.
No one is home.
They will have nothing left to do but leave.

Ice cream!
Home Days!
Best friends!
Summer!
Today is amazing!
Everything is great!
That is, until I answer my prepaid cell phone.

Mom had just gotten home from a movie with my brother
They walked into the house
To a most peculiar smell.
Marijuana!
Pot!
Weed!
Refer!
Wait what?
Then the land line rings.

My neighbor says,
“Two kids just darted from your back door.
Sprinted through the yards.
Did you know this?”
No, of course my mom did not know this.
And then it hit me.

So I go and find
One of my brothers jerk friends
At Solon Home Days
And I hit him.

Baxter

IMG_20150108_222314

I think it’s worth noting,
that the “worst” thing
to happen to me
so far this year
resulted in me giving
to someone in need.

And that’s why this year
is going to be so great.

Change your perception,
change your life.