A Moment to Love

An Into the Wilderness blog I don’t usually use Walk the Moon to celebrate life milestones. But today, I am. Today, my husband and I have been married for 11 years. Second marriages for both of us, we have forged a bond of love and authenticity that comes only through experiencing- and recovering from- life’sContinue reading “A Moment to Love”

Butterfly

Into the wilderness: Story 50 Imagine the life of a butterfly. First, the egg clinging to the underside of a leaf, miniscule yet tough. Its chorionic shell hides a waxy center with enough joules to form life. Inside, a yolk both produces its new self and serves itself as food for the larva to consumeContinue reading “Butterfly”

Heavy Memories

Into the Wilderness: Story 49 When you’re obese, you will always have a fat mind. Notice I said “mind.” Even if or after you lose weight, your mind cannot release the heavy tread of damage obesity causes. It’s two fold: society’s continual denigration of fat and one’s layers of fat shame deeply embedded in theContinue reading “Heavy Memories”

Strings, Part 2

Into the wilderness: Story 45 Here’s another string I didn’t pull. It’s a handsome young man, military, muscled, groomed. He sat next to me in Middle English Language and Literature. He broadcasted unfiltered masculinity; he also was an English major. We became friends, often sitting on the grass of the University’s central grounds in frontContinue reading “Strings, Part 2”

Sunshine- Republished

Into the Wilderness: Story 4 When Catina went into the wilderness, we did too. Our wilderness was inside us, the intricate branching of thought and memory that builds up over time. The feelings we had pushed aside- that most adults push aside- sprouted like seedlings in sun. I became aware of my part. I haveContinue reading “Sunshine- Republished”

Baking

Into the Wilderness: Story 22 I’ve been baking cookies. Nine different kinds, to be exact. Snickerdoodles, Linzer tarts, pumpkin bars, fruitcake cookies, chocolate mint crunch, kourabiedes (a Greek version of snowball cookies), molasses, magic bars (condensed milk, coconut, chocolate chips), and Christmas Crack. I have only four people in my house and nine in myContinue reading “Baking”