The restaurant’s kitchen doors had star-shaped windows carved into the front. They periodically swung outward to reveal white light, which made them look like the eyes of a laughing face. I felt radiant. Continue reading

The reason why it has taken months to write about one of my tiny life’s important adventures is because I’m afraid of readers’ reactions. I’ve been taught that, when responding to a marriage proposal, the “yes” should be instant. My “yes” was not, and I’m afraid that readers—mentors and my parents’ friends, primarily; people who know what it means to be married—may think a drawn out “yes” should have been a “no.” Continue reading

“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” Kaitlin asked. I scrambled around my apartment, throwing my phone, a wad of cash, and a knife into a backpack. You never know with Craigslist ads.

“Yes,” I said, my voice drifting. I mentally sifted through other materials I might need. Kaitlin wasn’t convinced.

“Another dog is a huge responsibility,” she tried. “You and Robby have really thought this through?” Continue reading

“Do whatever brings you to life, then. Follow your own fascinations, obsessions, and compulsions. Trust them. Create whatever causes a revolution in your heart.”

-Elizabeth Gilbert, Big Magic

I was living in Charlotte a year ago when I made the decision to construct a website. That October day, a helicopter swept through the low-hanging sky above my apartment. My desk job hours were perfect; there was ample time to write each day. I had barely touched a pen since graduating almost six months ago. Continue reading

*

I knew who she was the moment I saw her. A mother and son have never looked more alike. She came up to my collarbone and wore bright green. I cried when we hugged—a hot, desperate type of tear. My brother, still unseen, blended into the chattering pool of purple robes. Continue reading