Encounters with death.
Death keeps coming closer, and I’m finding it hard to maintain my sense of detachment. I don’t like death, for all that it’s an inevitable consequence of living, for all that we’re dying from the moment we arrive here on earth. For all I keep it in reserve as an escape option. We’re marked for death from the moment we arrive; we’re mortal, after all. … Continue reading Encounters with death.
A little bit feral: problems with perception.
I was feeling feral the other day. A little edgy, a little hypervigilant, a little thin-skinned, and a little aggressive. The word “feral” seemed to sum all that up which is why I threw it out in response to the “how are you” query made by an acquaintance. I knew I’d made a mistake when I saw her expression of extreme incomprehension. Apparently “feral” is … Continue reading A little bit feral: problems with perception.
Do the structural work.
People like to say we start out perfect. “Look at that perfect baby.” I remain unconvinced regarding the accuracy of that statement. If nothing else, positing “perfect” as the default position is unkind. Having met babies, it’s also, I believe, inaccurate. Parenting teaches you that kids are imperfect no matter how cute. It also teaches you that they come, to some extent, factory hardwired. As … Continue reading Do the structural work.
The annoying endurance of chronic pain (neuralgia).
I suffer from chronic pain. My version of it is trigeminal neuralgia. Neuralgia is described by some as “stabbing, burning, and often severe pain due to an irritated or damaged nerve.” The nerve(s) can be anywhere in the body. Mine are in my head, and I can set a flare off via clenching the jaw. The problem is structural, caused by damage I sustained in … Continue reading The annoying endurance of chronic pain (neuralgia).
