The most important thing you can do in this life is invest time into getting to know yourself. We are implored to seek a high paying job"Money is happiness," preached, bored into our brainsWe are persuaded to find a life partnermarriage, the house, the kids, a familyFed this American Dreamand most people spend their entire... Continue Reading →
Rewriting Relationships
I tend to see the good in peoplemy brain is proficient at turning bad behaviorinto excuses “They must have meant this” or“Obviously they care about me because….” or my favorite“They must just be going through their own thing” excuses that slowly eat me aliveI re-create narrativesof who they are as humansensuring to erase any negative... Continue Reading →
Fleeting shifts
My favorite kind of weather are those brief periods between seasons. Those fleeting shifts... of temperature, of the sun, of the seasonsof the mind.Each glorious transformation of the weather reworks us- nature pushing us to metamorphosis. In particular the switch from winter to spring is one of my favorites.As the sleepy, cold winter melts into... Continue Reading →
Small Doses of Happiness
I stand in the dewy grass, blades tickling my feetinhaling deeply; the morning air fills my lungsBirds sing the song of SpringTheir tranquil chirping soothing the chattering in my brainThe sun peeks above the horizon A surge of fire; it’s rays long arms reaching across the mosaic of pinks and orangesintermingling with the blue canvas... Continue Reading →
Take up Space
I've lived my whole life shrinking myself for others. Worried that I may come off too strong, too weird... too much.I've missed out on so many opportunities. I've wasted so much time assuming others judgement. Analyzing conversations, scripting scenarios, consistently jumping to the worst case. "What will they think" playing in my head on repeat.... Continue Reading →
The Persevering Tides
I watched the tide nip at the sandThe waves swashed and ebbedmoving forward in grand, crashing thruststhen pulled violently backagain and againA rhythmic pattern; an aggressive lullabyEach pull stealing pieces of the sandintertwiningmolecules floating into the vastnessFurther out the water is steady, cleartinted by the blue of the summer skyshimmering like scattered glass under the... Continue Reading →
Laid off thoughts…
Life never fails to make me laugh; even if you have your feet planted firmly even if you thought you had a plan Life is going to swoop in and do it's thing Grabbing you by the backtalons dug in tightpushing and pulling forcing you to submitpressuring you to switch pathsWe like to pretend,play like... Continue Reading →
Unraveling
I like to think of myself as a spool of yarnthe other person pulls; unraveling me ever soslightly with each small tug. I lose pieces of myselfI grow smaller, weakerAs time wears on the once thick yarn now barelycovers the spool - its foundation poking out between each fine stringThe tugs at the string are... Continue Reading →
Less
I'm not sure if I feel in the same way I used to... I feel, I do But, it's less... LESS raw LESS real....like a perpetual dream Pain feels dimensions awayMaybe because like with anything your body adapts just like your hands your heart calluses over so that it can no longer be rubbed raw... Continue Reading →
The Cave
Walls drip acidic slimerunning down the mirrors that cover every crevice. They reflect and glint offeach other- burning me, blinding me.Voices echo- bellowing: fat, ugly, whale, bitch. I recognize every one, all strangers- passerby’s in the hallways. Those boys twist my brain, bashing and tauntinguntil I believe. My vision morphs: mirrors produce a monster.Eyes narrowed,... Continue Reading →
K.J Stafford 