Author Student Mother Teacher
The world can feel so dark sometimes that it's impossible to know if there is any good left and we can get so lost in the noise that constant distraction makes. Too preoccupied with things to buy and things to do and people to see and places to go and pictures to take and videos… Continue reading The Cost of Hate and Distraction
You said you were my soul mate, But that simply wasn't true. I couldn't see what we were while we were in it, Blinded by how much I wanted you. But this time, when you went away, I started to pay attention. I noticed the things you didn't think I would catch, The backhanded compliments… Continue reading Twin Flame
If you're waiting for your "Come to Jesus" moment, it's here. I haven't been "religious" since I was a kid. Raised Southern Missionary Baptist in a little church in the backwoods of Missouri. Our preachers were a circulating cast from other churches, and every week was a two-hour sermon on the evils of the world.… Continue reading “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” – Arthur Ashe
I'm almost pretty, but not quite, because when I look in the mirror, my face looks like a stranger. I'm almost intelligent, but not quite, because even though I have numerous degrees, I struggle to put them to use, as I tend to get overwhelmed easily and quit. I'm almost sexy, but not quite, because… Continue reading Almost but not quite
Okay, guys, how about another page of sketches? Consider this my virtual gallery...or more appropriately, my refrigerator door that I'm letting you look at, each piece held up with a bunch of kooky mismatched magnets. Title: Time to Die This theme appears regularly in my creative work. It's a combination of the political instability of… Continue reading A Little Sketch Therapy
I've created a lot of sketches, so I'll break them up into multiple posts. Some of these sketches have serious trauma behind them. Please keep in mind that I use art as therapy, so some content might be triggering. Title: Bleed For Me This was my first attempt at a complex composition. I spent an… Continue reading Sketching Through Trauma: Personal Reflections
Let's talk about what last week cost me Two kitchen hooks that were holding up the aprons I never use, but I wanted them because that's what good moms own and wear. A bunch of bananas, a loaf of bread, two bunches of broccoli, one pound of carrots, one bag of baby carrots, and half… Continue reading The Invisible Costs of Living with Mental Illness
2 Years. 2 Years ago, everything changed. 2 Years ago, my world shifted on its axis, blasted out of orbit by the death of my father. We knew it was coming. All the signs were there. Mentally, I think he'd been kinda gone for a few weeks. Possibly since the hospital trip in February (2… Continue reading Happy Birth Death Day, Dad!
The television plays Cooking shows on repeat, You didn’t like them But they bring me comfort. The cell phone stands ready Facebook, E-mail, games Anything to distract me, To keep from feeling. The laptop, always open A story to write, homework to do Simulation games that I can control Things where I get to say… Continue reading Drowning Out the Noise
This short story won the January 2024 Photo Prompt Contest with the Center for Creative Writing. The story is a mixture of true story and fiction and I am so pleased that it was chosen as a winner. It took a lot of emotional investment for me to create this piece and I hope you… Continue reading Saying Goodbye
Cathy Marie Bown 