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Everyday.

/ Sloan / Leave a comment

Your choice, he says. The Toyota idles for a moment while I contemplate left or right. Left? Or right?

 

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            I watched from under a tree, his curls fly through the wind as he swan dives beautifully into the calm lake. The bridge is clearly marked “No jumping or diving” marked as a huge teaser to us because he knows it’s deep enough to survive the drop.

            As he climbs out refreshed from the shock of cold he looks at me; alright, you wanna jump? I’m terrified, Come on, I’ll go with you. I’m sweaty and hot and sticky from a day of work, my curls are piled on top of my head in a dready mess that I’ve been ignoring for weeks. What the fuck, let’s do this. I take off my shirt, free my hair and walk nervously to the bridge, why not?

 

Break a law every day.

 

            Rocks to the right and sand to the left—stay center. He gets a running start as I climb on the edge and shut my brain off for a moment. I hold my breath and jump. I scream and take another breath before I hit the water. Shocked by the cold and I scream full of exhilaration as I pop to the surface.

 

Let go everyday.

 

————-

 

Right = home, chores, shower, the end of the weekend.

Left = that bridge. That damn bridge that terrified me all while making me feel alive.

 

————-

 

We got time, the wheels screech as I turn left out of the drive.

 

 

 

 

 

Define It

/ Sloan / Leave a comment

Blanks I see on my Facebook:

 

Where do you live?

Where are you from?

 

Define Limbo:

1. ( often initial capital letter  ) Roman Catholic Theology . a region on the border of hell or heaven, serving as the abode after death of unbaptized infants (limbo of infants)  and of the righteous who died before the coming of Christ (limbo of the fathers or limbo of the patriarchs)

2. a place or state of oblivion to which persons or things are regarded as being relegated when cast aside, forgotten, past, or out of date: My youthful hopes are in the limbo of lost dreams.

3. an intermediate, transitional, or midway state or place.

4. a place or state of imprisonment or confinement.

 

My Limbo: Some days 3, some days 4. Neither good nor bad, it’s all in how you look at it. My goal is to look at it from the stance that this time in my life is an opportunity.

 

Define Opportunity:

 

noun, plural op·por·tu·ni·ties.

1. an appropriate or favorable time or occasion: Their meeting afforded an opportunity to exchange views.

2. a situation or condition favorable for attainment of a goal.

3. a good position, chance, or prospect, as for advancement or success.

 

My Opportunity: all of the above. Let’s do this. Let’s do life.

Favorite Moment: Vietnam

/ Sloan / Leave a comment

I don’t know if I screamed before I crawled on my bleeding knees through the dust to turn the key of the fallen motorbike. Nothing, but a bit of my pride, hurt at that moment.

A Vietnamese man grabbed my hand, while another propped the motorbike back up on its kickstand. He led to me a water tank, gave me soap and a bucket and motioned for me to wash the dust off of myself—he disappeared into a near by hut.

My friend had yelled Oh my god! after the fall. She watched it, it could have been worse, but we were still not in a good position. Vulnerable. She watched him prop up the bike and he signaled for her to join him to drink something.

The man returned with a tin of Tiger Balm, he slathered my cuts with the medicated cream, but only after he patted my legs, arms and hand dry with a clean cloth. Kindness. He placed the tin in my palm and closed my hand, meaning that this was for me to keep. Generosity.

 

He led me to where my friend was drinking green tea and playing a game of language barrier charades with another Vietnamese man, this was a game we had both mastered after months of being expats. After many rounds we won, and had communicated the story of the broken bike. The Vietnamese, mechanical motorbike geniuses, took 15 minutes and had solved the problem. Go-getters. They asked for nothing in return and sent us on our way.

This was my favorite Vietnamese moment.

 

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