Tag: parents

  • Forbidden Fruit

    I had learned from an early age about what was forbidden and what wasn’t.  My parents practically had the Bible memorized and thought they knew it front to back.  I was expected to obey all rules and not to question authority.  Ever.  I knew I could never tell them I didn’t believe in God.  I…

  • My Community

    “I knew my community would pull together when I really needed them.  They knew what I needed before I even knew.”  I stared out the window to the ocean and wondered what I could have done differently.  I needed to decide what I was going to do, but also longed for someone to tell me…

  • Focus

    “If we could only focus on what is right in front of us, I know we could figure this out.”  I stared at the college application in front of me and tried not to panic.  I wasn’t sure if college was for me, but college was definitely for my parents.  I wondered how often I…

  • Spiritual Awakening

    “You are in for a spiritual awakening.  This night will be nothing like any night you have ever experienced.”  As Fern’s voice radiated through my headphones, I closed my eyes.  Maybe this time, everything would finally click.  If it didn’t, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do.  My life was in shambles and…

  • Unspoken Tension

    “You could slice the tension in here with a knife,” Gerald said, idly swirling his drink.  I paused in the door afraid to reenter the living room.  There had been drama recently between my mom and her sister, but neither would tell anyone what had happened.  All we knew was this was the first time…

  • Growing Up

    I never wanted to grow up. Even as a child when my friends were talking about everything they wanted to do as an adult. They talked about the freedom. They talked about doing what they wanted, when they wanted. I never wanted any of that. I was having too much fun just being a kid.…

  • Rules of the House

    Growing up in a house with strict parents, I often found rules to be messy.  Too controlling.  My worst nightmare.  At home, I was expected to abide by the schedule set by my parents.  By the time I was ten, my home life was a constant drudgery of dullness.  If I didn’t follow the schedule…

  • Crime Scene

    I always thought our house looked like a bit of a crime scene.  Especially when I compared it to my friends’ houses.  My parents liked to refer to themselves as ‘creatives’ and I wondered if that was an excuse for not wanting to clean the house.  But at the same time, I loved it.  I…

  • The Cradle

    I knew the cradle would be a problem the moment I walked in. I knew Max meant well, but this cradle was out of control. The cradle was just about the ugliest thing I had ever seen and looked like it was going to fall apart any second. I took a deep breath and wondered…

  • Nightmares

    I couldn’t remember a time when I didn’t have nightmares. They came hurtling out of nowhere and could be triggered by a single smell. A single noise. A single touch. As much as I tried meditating, yoga, running, any and all forms of exercise, I couldn’t get rid of my nightmares. I tried exhausting myself…