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@soracities / soracities.tumblr.com

joy is coming mim., / late 20s / FAQ (header: days of heaven by terrence malick)
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I think one of the biggest hindrances to community is competition. Life is a collaborative effort, always. People can't be themselves because they're too busy tryna be better. "Better" is subjective but typically translates to "easier to notice." People want to be noticed because attention is currency. That's what happens under capitalism; we are told there's not enough for everyone, so to get a piece, you gotta be special. But collaboration is not about being special, since specialness is understood/default--it's about belonging, blending, changing the large by being a small part of it. Got us out here racing toward some hypothetical finish line, when we're supposed to be walking slow in the family garden.

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Why use poetry to tell these stories?

I’m not trying only to record what was happening around me. I want to control the pacing. I am very sensitive to details, like the kettle on the stove, the father typing on a keyboard, the neighbors’ radio.

It’s also about reliving the moment. When I write poetry, I’m trying to understand myself. I am trying to understand my psychological status, sometimes healing myself."

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godtrauma

the man who owns and runs the thai restaurant in my town knows me by name. he is one of the kindest and most thoughtful men i know. i started ordering from his place back in january, which was when i got my fibromyalgia diagnosis. back then i was using a walker, had limited mobility in my entire body but especially my hands, and was very visibly in pain. i always ordered the same thing: yellow curry with no meat, potatoes and carrots only (i have texture and other dietary issues). he always made it a point to make sure i could get out the door and carry the food safely. he had his workers package the food so that it was easier for me to open. as i kept coming back and i told him a little bit about my health status, he would always encourage me to keep going. he told me about how the spices he used were good for inflammation and began to edit the recipe just for me so that spices that were even better for fighting inflammation were used. he’d give me extra portions and despite the fact that i would tip every time, i realized later that he never charged my card for them. as time went on and my condition began to get better, he would make encouraging remarks and tell me how happy he was for me. the day i came in without my walker, he practically jumped for joy, and despite my insistence, he gave me my meal for free that day. i continue to make progress with my conditions and i continue to go to the thai place. this man who does not know me personally and who i hardly know anything about is one of my favorite people. it’s interactions with humans like these that make loving life easier. and his curry really does help my chronic condition. it’s comfort food taken to the next level.