Real, Not Ideal

 I think the word “should” is my enemy. In my vulnerable moments, this is where I start those spirals.                 I should be able to find balance . . .                 I should be able to handle this . . .                 I should feel like I’m more prepared . . .                 I should be making more time for myself . . .                 I should be spending more time with the people I love . . .                 I should reach out to that person . . .            ...

               I find myself tearing up a lot. I can watch a movie knowing exactly what happens and when but still end up a sobbing mess. There are quite a few songs that I cannot listen to while I’m driving because my vision will quickly become obscured by tears. Voting makes me emotional because I think about the women preceding me that would be overjoyed that I can cast a ballot. I also think about the fact that my own grandmother couldn’t vote because she was Indigenous. When a friend tells me something exciting in their life, my heart and eyes swell with pride. Sometimes, thinking about a happy memory makes me tear up out of pure nostalgia. You see, I’m a sensitive person who has a great capacity for empathy. I feel deeply. My sense of connection and loyalty to the people around me opens me up to crescendos of emotion. Whether it’s my students, my family, or my friends, I feel those feelings as if they are my own. Their sto...