We got the Fairy Tale

You know what's funny, a lot of people think I am perky. I had a snotty colleague once in my career use it as an insult. But the people who really know me, like my family, know that I am actually really melancholy. See, I am one of those artistic souls who feels tortured at times. I am an artist of sorts. I mean I teach writing and have a Master of Arts. I think I just feel things deeper than most. But the thing is - that is me being stupid. I have had such a blessed life and need to have more gratitude about it. 

I had lunch with a dear friend from my PhD program Thursday. She is one of the SMARTEST people I know. I am lucky to know her. And I really admire her. To me, she has the Fairytale. I told her that. I said,  "I was just trying for the Fairytale."  I was. I said, "You got the Fairytale."  She is smart, gorgeous, has a great job, has beautiful kids, and has a great husband. 

But the doctor wisely said, "Molly - no one has the fairytale." And you know what? The doctor was right. 

But she and I do have a Fairytale life. We are PhDs. Work at top universities. We both do jobs that we love and work with beautiful souls. So here is a reminder to both her and myself: we do have the Fairytale, but the truth of the matter is, sometimes life is just hard, even in Fairytales. I mean really, sometimes Fairytales are down right freaky scary. Let's be honest.  

But thank you my dear, dear friend for being there through the statistic classes in which I struggled and now in life when I do the same. But this story is not over. Man sometimes I wish those Fairies in the forest would give me a break! :)

Gen X Women

So it is a very strange time to be a Gen X woman. I was born in 1973. We had a very small class. The birth control pill was created in 1967 and Roe vs. Wade was the year I was born. Thank goodness my mom and dad were Catholic. I was not planned. 

But I do think it a very bizarre experience to be of a generation of women who had more rights than any other women in American history. I feel like I need to remind all of my Gen X female friends about this. We have to make sure that we ensure our daughters and granddaughters have freedoms like we did. We cannot let this go backward. It is. 

We need to keep our voice and keep fighting for women and all the social justice issues of our time. Don't take your freedom for granted. I won't either. People have fought a hard fight for this. We cannot let them take our rights away. Our daughters and granddaughters deserve better. 

Peace! 

The Crucifix on the Tightrope

 The Crucifix on the Tightrope by mks

It’s so crazy

How our lives get entangled

With others, who affect us deeply.

It’s as if it’s really out of our hands.

Part of the grand design, by some intelligent being. 

Then why does it always seem to be so hard?

Today a minister told me wisely

that “tragedy is not from God.

And we may never know the why.

Or if we do, we find out later down the road.”

She is right.

She said, “This is just evil in the world.

But we must not also forget the good.”

It is quite the balancing act —

One at which I struggle —

Wobbling on the highwire

Trying to hold the pole

Like a crucifix

Twenty feet up in the air with unsure footing

About to fall myself,

At least I have a net 

To keep me from below.

“Embrace the struggle like Jesus did,”

She said.

“His life did not end there.

In fact, it offered a new beginning

To rise again, different,

Healed. 

Resurrected to help others.”

To help us.

To help me.

To help you. 

One foot in front of the other,

Toes gripping the wire,

Outstretched hands carrying the weight of the wood,

My ballerina body in a leotard for all to judge, 

In order to hopefully make it someday to the other side.