You are a brilliant writer @ginnyannette - seriously, you write SO WELL! and with such impact, and insight, and that rarest of gifts, understatement. The harmless drunks, the dangerous drunks, the shattered glass, the hungry children, the neglected dog....

This is fantastic:

My anger burns like a dry pinecone—a burst of flame that tires itself out soon and is forgotten as ash. For people such as myself that absorb emotions like a sponge, rage is very distressing and makes my body shaky. It rattles me.

And so I was not ecstatic three hours later when…

She Showed Up On My Doorstep

And this!!!

My default setting is to be nice. I know, that’s stupid. Every self-defense instructor will tell you that is how bad things happen to good people. You are supposed to be firm set. You are supposed to set your boundaries ...

And the closing line. Did I mention "brilliant"--? You really are!

Characters that belong in a book are everywhere—they even knock on my door.

what a poignant slice of life you share here - THANK you @owasco for pointing this one out to me. I've been delinquent, not checking in at Hive for months....

....(excuses, yes, I have a few, but I should be inspired and motivated and MORE PRODUCTIVE due to the loss of another sister, not just shutting down and doing nothing...)