Sister

She turns 18 this week--beginning her ascent into adulthood.

How does a girl begin to teach her sister the ways of life? A duty as an older sibling is to somehow pave the trail of adolescence and young adulthood so those following can smoothly travel without all those awkward, embarrassing, and heart wrenching lessons learned.

How do I put into words that everything is worth it and that there will still be that happy ending and that you only truly discover yourself when you go through those hardships and that despite all that---growing up is pretty fucking fun.

Soon, my mother's nest will be empty and it will be her I am comforting.
**

Sunrise

The sun has just barely risen as I pull onto the highway and a catchy beat is playing on the radio. I bob my head and decide that maybe I could be a morning person. I feel responsible and put together and driven, and so---alive.

I feel like the person I am always trying to be when I can’t seem to get it all together.

Lost in thought, I realize I am driving in the middle of two lanes and quickly correct myself. Not that it much mattered as there were few cars on the road---Those that were struck this insane curiosity in me. I wondered about their identity and their reason for being up at such an awful hour. I began to think that these people were up this early because it made them feel the way I did just a few moments ago. Maybe these people have it all together and maybe these people are where the happier people in the world hide—in these wee hours of the first strands of sunlight.