I look at myself in the mirror and smile.

I tell myself I am happy,

"I am happy." "I am happy." "I am happy."

I look back at my smile...

The way my upper and bottom lip part just so that the perfect bit of teeth show.

The way my lips curve upwards to express my so-called joy.

The way a single tear slips down my face and melts against my cupid's bow.

I wipe the tear spot away,

"I am happy." "I am h...

This is what I wanted, wasn’t it?

I’ve been waiting for this day for so long and now that it’s here, I’d admit I’m having second thoughts.

I’ve spent months playing out this day in my head.

I’d walk down the aisle with my father by my side. He’d give me away to Ryan, the man I am going to spend the rest of my life with.

And that’s exactly how it went…up until the point where Ryan started say...

Earthquakes no longer feel so foreign to my body.

They don't come around as much as they used to.

Those earthquakes, they used to rush in with no warning.

It felt like they lasted an eternity, yet when it was over,

and I would clear the rubble,

you would never know what I had been through.

Earthquakes no longer feel so foreign to my body

in that the slightest sensation of a shake

I now grasp ont...

Gravity,

it’s a funny thing.

When I was a kid I used to wonder

can we just turn off gravity?

Just for a moment…

The world would flip on its axis

and we would all be upside down.

I’ve always wondered,

that if gravity was turned off

Just for a moment,

that I would finally,

finally

Be right side up....

“What do you want me to say Ashlee?” Jack started shouting.

“I- I just want you to tell me you love me. Because I love you! I’ve loved you for as long as I could remember. I don’t think there was a time where I didn’t love you! I just want you to tell me you love me back.”

“Ash, you know how I feel about you”

Ashlee glares at Jack.

Jack continues “I’m with Loura and I love her. I want to ma...

I shot up out of bed and look at my clock. 2:00 AM.

What was that?

There it goes again. Sounds like somebody is messing with the front door.

My head begins spinning with possibilities of what it may be…a burglar, a raccoon, a murderer?

Winnie, my dog, begins whining.

I finally get the courage to throw my blanket off of me and get out of bed. Shaking, I reach under my bed for my bat. I’ve had...

I always love tending to my garden,

the sensation of the sun on my back as I dig in the dirt.

Except lately, I’ve felt my knees start to harden,

and the arthritis has caused my hands to hurt.

No one tells you this about old age,

but the things you once loved

are hard to gauge.

And although you haven’t even begun the day it feels like you’ve been shoved.

My garden was once vibrant and lively,

th...

“Or, remember that one time I left Mr. Teddy on the carousel at the Fall Carnival?” Mason asked, peering up at his dad.

“Oh do I? We were halfway home and you realized you didn’t have Mr. Teddy and started having a panic attack. I got off at the nearest exit and turned back towards the carnival.”

“Yea, and then when we got there , they were closed. There was one security guard and he wouldn’t le...