Quiet kindness of letting it be

77% Weekly Newsletter

Quiet kindness of letting it be

“Today I bent the truth to be kind, and I have no regret, for I am far surer of what is kind than I am of what is true.”

― Robert Brault

—

“Annie,” I say, pointing upward to indicate I will be referencing the soundtrack of Come From Away we’re listening to.

I steal a glance at my soulful daughter and continue, “This version has more in it than I’m used to.”

“No, this is the same one,” she replies, as we work on organizing the garage together. She pauses, then insists, “No. It’s the same.”

It’s not.
I know it’s not.

The version that we’re listening to has some verses and dialogue that had been cut from the Come From Away album stored on my iPhone, dating from the days when we carefully managed our music libraries.

As Spotify streams words that I don’t remember in the number “38 Planes,” I resist the urge to pull out my phone to prove I’m right.

“Oh,” I say.

Refractory Anxiety

I am supposed to arrive at the wedding rehearsal at 4 p.m. I planned on arriving 15–20 minutes early. Because I don’t like being late. However, I took a wrong turn. At the intersection of the I-5 South and the I-405 South, I went the wrong way. Now, I’ll have to turn around in a mile and a half and

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No words. No words.

To offset our discomfort about our upcoming visit to the Terezín (in German: Theresienstadt) concentration camp/ghetto, Emmett and I fall into making dark jokes. Gallows humor. “Do you think they still give free tattoos upon arrival?” “Want to wear matching pajamas for our tour?” Dark, ugly jokes.  Because reality is just too overwhelming. The feelings are too overwhelming. So we

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Has anyone seen my keys?!

Jane and the kids misplace keys. Not me. I don’t. I always return my key to the keyrack. That’s where they go. When the key isn’t on the hook, which happens from time to time, I find it on some surface in the house. Usually, the kitchen table. Then, without fanfare, I pick it up, hang it up, and restrain

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77% Weekly Newsletter
77% Weekly Newsletter