I am lucky – I am not alone, I have people to SHARE this BUMPY ride with me. Closely held, dear to my heart, fellow travelers who without hesitation, PLUNK down right next to me, buckle in and will hang on until the end. My gratitude for the moments when UNPIN ourselves from routine, take chances and UNZIP the layers that keep our true selves hidden! What wild adventures of the heart and mind follow!

Georg’ann

I didn’t pause to THINK it through
A dare was given, I took it
Strolled out to the street, flashed the first car that passed,
I’d already pulled the zipper down,
in preparation for the 1st passerby
hands ready to open quickly the soft folds of my hoodie

What were the chances
that Steve Smith, or any other classmate,
would be driving with his family up Hillside
around midnight on a Saturday night?
Slim, to impossible, those
are the chances
but there we have it.

I didn’t know until Monday morning
Walking into Mrs. Morris’s 4th grade
I began to INCUR the backlash
of the slumber party antics

That impetuous girl was not me.
She was a creature of the night
Taking a risk in the dark
To seek acceptance
this would not be the last time I regretted my decision to UNZIP

Heather