I believe that happiness happens at the same time as sadness. I believe in survival. I believe in Peaches as a weekly ritual. Not the fruit. I believe that nothing should go into my mouth that I can feel has an inkling of hair but feathers tend not to bother me. I believe that orange juice should solely be in Florida grown in the groves. I believe that people try to love me. I believe in darkness and am often scared of light. I believe that water is often thicker than blood. I believe that the sky is blue. I believe in global warming, so I’ll keep you updated on the whole blue-sky thing. I believe in holding hands. I believe in touching backs. I believe in marriage before sex. I believe that god does not exist. I believe in heaven, or, at least, I must believe in heaven. I believe in fault. I believe that Jack could have totally fit on that door. I believe in mistakes that cannot be undone. I believe that aunts are the greatest relatives outside of parents. I believe in tickling. I believe in my shudder at loud noises. I believe in affection. I believe that a person can like more than one gender. I believe that I am a mistake or an anomaly—haven’t discovered that yet. I believe in reproduction. I believe that Chick-fil-a tastes the best on Sundays. I believe in articulation. I believe in the power of English. I believe that the coldest thing on this earth is a dead body. I believe that a caterpillar and a butterfly are two different animals. I prefer cats, but I believe they and dogs can brighten anyone’s day. I believe in calling grandparents so they don’t have to suffer through the process of texting. I believe in teaching my niece that not all men are bad. I believe in emptiness and guilt, but that’s for a different poem. I believe that blue is the best color but not for a wedding. I believe that sage green is for a wedding but not for the walls in a home. I believe that a home is the most important place for a person. I believe that people make up a home. I believe that things make up a home. I believe in having a Books-a-million gift card to buy discounted Yankee Candles. I believe that couponing takes up too much time. I believe in the stillness of an earthquake. I believe I’m linguistic as much as I am analytical. I believe that childhood does not end at the magical age of 18. I believe that music has the power to heal wounds, or, at least, mend them for the time being. I believe in the joy of others. I believe in passion for PowerPoint or even a fancy Prezi. I believe that poetry is for some people. I believe that we are our greatest bullies. I believe we all have a voice. I believe in motherhood. I believe in failure. I believe in bliss amid mess. I believe that teaching is not just a woman’s job. I believe that getting dirty means you had a memorable day. I believe in binge-watching an entire series in a week. I believe in self-doubt. I believe in genuine kindness. I believe in being an utter nerd. I believe in being proud of all faults. I believe in relationships. I believe everyone should know more than one language. I believe in narration. I believe in silent power. I believe in respect. I believe in cultural appreciation. I believe in childhood. I believe in family. I believe in justice. I believe in the blissful smell of babies. I believe in holding. I believe in closeness. I believe in the power of literature. I believe in simplicity. I believe in you.

Written for Seminar by the Sea June, 2017

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