Traditionally, routinely, in all that is erin fashion, I pattern my mistakes.
The timeline shows the archs and bends and dips and straight lines in my life, and the graph depicts it perfectly.
I loop around and back again and each mistake is different and detrimental in it's own way, and so very necessary.
I look for these rabbit holes to jump in, I bite around the edges of my stacked lunchable and I imagine they're like the cookies in Alice in Wonderland.
Up, up, up and away. Bumping the ceiling and then breaking through. Into the skies, above the tree tops. How did I get here?
A few more nibbles around the edges, even out the ham and cheese, and there I go.
Shrinking back down to earth, and now under it, a blade of grass shading my face from the sun.
These silly adventures I allow myself to go on. I used to look at these jaunts through the woods as hard blows down, beaten face, out for weeks. Now I see them for what they really are: reality checks. Here's your birth certificate, here's your thumbprints, the evidence shows that you are human Ms. Anderson.
And here I am, in all my humanity. Here I am giggling in your scolding face, shrinking away from your lectures, breaking out of your bonds, and acquiring scratches on my feet and calves.
Here I am asking you to be patient with me. Here I am beseeching your grace.
I am running and ducking and climbing and trying to get through this and live this and breathe this, and be okay with it all.
and still as i sit here in this tiny place with my light so faint,
I realize how big you are and how much a part of this you are.