My five random words for today’s exercise are pin, mosquito, arch, film, and porch.
Chosen word for free association: film
movie, thin layer, protective, false, obscuring, veneer
Exercise:
Of his former self, only a thin surface layer still remained. The transformation had taken years, and now the only recognizable thing tying him to the past was an invisible veneer of guilt, clinging to the surface of his skin like living armor.
She leaves me a voice mail. Halfway through, she breaks down, crying,
complaining that no one is helping her, no one is telling her what to
do. I feel my blood pressure rise with the pitch of her sobs, but I
don’t feel compassion. I feel angry, manipulated, like I need to
take care of a situation that she’s created herself.
Guess what, sis? You’re almost 54 years old. No one should have to
tell you what to do. You need to fight your own battles.
Later, I’ll feel guilty for my anger. But right now, it just … is.
