Word After Word

I will always think of them as my stepsons. It’s easy to understand (not easy but clear, possible, necessary, messy-but-structured) how an ex-husband is an X (and also a big unknown, something to solve) but ex steps? How could that be possible? It would be like divorcing childhood itself.

Bug is in the

On the plane next to me, when I was coming back from my meditation retreat, was an Air Force Colonel. When I told her what his job was in the Air Force, her eyes misted. This is the darkest, hardest part. He picked the most dangerous job in the world. In the entire world. A colonel cried. That’s how hard. 

When I was freaking out about his choice Bug didn’t say anything. He looked really young and really confused and committed, both of those at once. Which gives the face a kind of falling quality.

Later, when I was still freaking out, but more politely, Bug told me women love heroes. “They want you to defy death, take life in your hands.” And he said, “I’m not going to get killed. I’m not.”

No never an X.