I saw a picture of me
From 7 years ago
A tiny wisp of a thing
Like a strong wind might
Knock me right over.
I took a lot of stock
In that type of thing
Back then.
The less space I took up,
The better.
Now I’ve got pounds
From each of my babies
Clinging to my bones.
My hips, breasts, skin stretched
To accommodate them.
There are days
I relish past memories.
That look, energy, freedom.
Then I remember the miracle
God did with my body
To create this family.
Whatever I thought
Back then
Is but a whisper
Compared to what is now.
Category: Uncategorized
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A reflection for January.
December is the fun sibling with its parties, flash, holidays, and treats. January is the middle child, unsure of herself and typically forgotten. January means Christmas let-down, unfitting clothes, and very little daylight. It’s the month I typically try to close my eyes and get through as quickly as possible. February is right around the corner after all, with it’s unpredictable weather, Valentine’s day, and bizarrely short number of days. Then comes March – which can be rainy and dreary but also sprinkles some warm days in there to perk the spirits. Poor, old January. The month when, every year, I tell myself I have to order a lamp that emulates sunlight or I will become permanently depressed.
But this month. It has a been a gift to me. For the first time in my life since becoming a mother, I had multiple weeks where I had fairly consistent childcare & was not employed (by choice). This meant I had time to write. Thank you, January, for this sweet treasure. I won’t forget next year when you berate me with your sub zero temperatures and dry skin. Or I’ll try not to forget.
Here are my daily best recommendations for this month!
Listen: Evermore by Taylor Swift & The Next Right Thing podcast by Emily P Freeman
Eat: These chocolate chip cookies. They are the best. It’s not a question, it’s a fact. And these brownies from scratch. Just trust me.
Buy: Hair scrunchies with a bow. Been a nice little change to my daily pony tail. Perfect for people who are bad at doing hair (me).
Read: Nonfiction: Will the Circle Be Unbroken by Sean Dietrich; Fiction: Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by VE Schwab, The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
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Hershey’s kiss
Unravels perfectly
Intense sweet as it hits the tongue
Making your mouth pucker
A mid-day treat
Turns to nostalgia
Slowly melting into
A tidal wave of holiday memories
Christmas stockings
Easter baskets
Halloween buckets
Sprinkled in
Almost an afterthought.
But your father says
No fancy chocolate can beat it.
The wrapper crackles between your fingers
You remember
It was a nice little missile
To flick at your brother.
Some things transcend
The test of time. -
Homesick
It’s a feeling
In your guts
A deep rooted tug
Your roots call out
From a T-shirt which simply says
“You had me at biscuits.”
A bluegrass song
In the background
Of a store trying far too hard
To be hip.
Someone posts a photo
Of March flowers growing wild.
A TV show features
A little soul food joint
You could walk to
Back in college.
Don’t get me wrong
I’m not ashamed of where I am
Or how I got here.
It can also be true
That I miss
Where I’m from.
With its y’all’s & yes ma’am’s
Bourbon & heat & country ham
My family
Friends who knew
The first version of me.
It’s a messy thing
To move away.
Kacie B. Sharpe 