Out there
you’ll see it all.
The floating ends
will meet and mend,
and you will be yourself;
your fully-formed,
though always changing,
self of selves.
Every clumsy backward look
will pay for itself.
Every tear you’ve cried,
or wanted to cry,
will set your broken bones.
The rips in your heart
will no longer
need to be guarded
by steel girders,
banyan trees,
or even rice paper.
Not so much as a
dragonfly’s wing
will you need
to cover the bludgeoned place,
to protect the private you
you love so much
and hope to save intact
from what has seemed years
of relentless pummeling.

Go and live and love
in peace, my friend,
for surely there is love
to enfold you,
and life to be feasted upon:
your portion is boundless.
Love will be the more
you’ve wanted.
You will know it
when you see it.
You will love yourself
as no lover
has ever had the courage
to love;
and the warmth you’ve wanted
will line your pillowcases,
dance upon your windowsill,
and hide
at the ends of your socks
awaiting your toes.

-Deborah Mears

Random Esq. has a great post on sleep quirks with some comments that had me rolling. What are your quirks (generally, not just sleep-related). Here are mine:

1) I cannot use the same washcloth twice.
2) I change my pillowcase every other day – sleep on ne side, then the other, then change. Can’t stand sleeping on dirty pillowcases.
3) I cannot sleep spooning or with pressure on any part of my body. Must sleep alone and on the left side of the bed.
4) I DETEST the sound of people chewing. Cannot eat with noisy chewers (or noisy people generally – no pencils tapping.
5) I take EVERYTHING to heart. Don’t tell me you need shelter unless you want to stay with me or a product unless you want me to buy it. I probably will. Yes, working on it…
6) I cannot be without music. Have it playing CONSTANTLY.
7) You can’t take me to a bookstore. I am dangerous and will spend my whole week’s budget without thinking twice (until I get home). Amazon is my crack.
I have to have whipped cream on my Skinny Cinnamon Dolce Latte. Yes, I know, it completely defeats the purpose but 2% milk makes me sick and so does sugar. Cancel those out, add a little whip and I’m a happy girl.
9) I cannot stand it when a guy comes up behind me and grabs me from behind. It freaks me out (bad experience when I was 15). I had to quit a job after this one attorney I worked for kept coming up behind my desk and leaning over/putting his hands on my shoulder to give me instructions and wouldn’t stop when I asked both him and HR. And I still can’t stand it. I’ll tolerate it but I always jump a bit at first.
10) I don’t wear white. Ever. Unless it’s forced participation in some kind of charitable event. And then I cringe the whole time.