and it’s not like I’m trying to. It’s just that so many people
have beautiful faces. Whenever I’m at a crowded beach,
I believe in God again. It makes me understand why humanity
has always carved gods in our own image. My New Year’s resolution
was to say any compliment I think of, but it would be weird
to tell a stranger on the beach Hey, I love your hair. If I could sculpt,
I’d make up another god after you, a knock-off Aphrodite.
Today, I hope we all live forever. I don’t normally like the thought
of immortality. This is new, and it’s because of the sunshine.
I hate the cold. Whenever I die, bury me somewhere warm. Sorry.
I don’t know why being happy makes me think about death so much.
My little sister wants me to swim with her. It’s freezing and I gasp
but hey, I once read an article about how ice cold showers
decrease your stress response. I tried it for a couple months.
It didn’t work, but thirtieth time lucky, perhaps? It’ll only get warmer
from now on, I hope. If God exists, I think she’s warm.
An omnipotent heated blanket, draped over the universe.
Maybe heaven’s just California, but without taxes and drought.
I wouldn’t mind. When I was five, my dad told me the ocean was salty
because it was made of God’s tears. I like to think they were happy tears.
have beautiful faces. Whenever I’m at a crowded beach,
I believe in God again. It makes me understand why humanity
has always carved gods in our own image. My New Year’s resolution
was to say any compliment I think of, but it would be weird
to tell a stranger on the beach Hey, I love your hair. If I could sculpt,
I’d make up another god after you, a knock-off Aphrodite.
Today, I hope we all live forever. I don’t normally like the thought
of immortality. This is new, and it’s because of the sunshine.
I hate the cold. Whenever I die, bury me somewhere warm. Sorry.
I don’t know why being happy makes me think about death so much.
My little sister wants me to swim with her. It’s freezing and I gasp
but hey, I once read an article about how ice cold showers
decrease your stress response. I tried it for a couple months.
It didn’t work, but thirtieth time lucky, perhaps? It’ll only get warmer
from now on, I hope. If God exists, I think she’s warm.
An omnipotent heated blanket, draped over the universe.
Maybe heaven’s just California, but without taxes and drought.
I wouldn’t mind. When I was five, my dad told me the ocean was salty
because it was made of God’s tears. I like to think they were happy tears.
Rachel Norman is a student at the University of Pennsylvania. Her work has appeared in publications including Isacoustic, Falling Star, and Writers Resist.