
Alright, I swore, i’d be off to bed, but to be honest, all I’ve thought about since Saturday is what I need to say. The truth is, when it comes time to reflect, I am often struck silent. Men of few words are the best men. They have the most to say but know to keep their lips closed.
First things first, they say that when you see someone in your dreams, it means they are thinking about you. Someone has been visiting my dreams, and it has been very nice to see them, no matter how much it saddens me to awaken.
It is known that weakness is an unattractive trait. And this blog, for as therapeutic as it is, and as much of a failure as I tend to be referred to as, ought to delineate something beyond my woes, weeping, self-pity, yearning, lust, sadness, and then wrap it up with some exuberant exclamation of the affinity for all things love and poetry. Personally, I enjoy the small anecdotes and theories that I come up with occasionally.
Today’s was yet another failure. And boy, was I sad about this one. I have concluded that I am Michael Jordan. Because he has his quote, “I’ve failed over and over in my life, and that is why I succeeded.” I mean I genuinely have lost count, and someone who loses count of how many times they have failed, might as well be referred to as a loser.
I believe in me. Ain’t nobody seem to want to be there for me. I think about one of my reflections that love is conditional. We’re not going down this road right now, but love is when you care to think about him, or her. My original point was that I believe in me. I know what I need to do. I will be the one writing from here to say I did do it. I did get the job, I did get the car, I did write the book and get published, and I did get the girl. I do believe.
It’s not magic. It’s not belief alone. It is just a faith that here is not the end. I’m a poor test taker. I knew that today, and my last, last, last credential before I am a licensed teacher still hangs over me. Afterhoo, I knew where to go, who to talk to, and what to do so I could sit here, and still believe. The first chapter of Infinite Jest is about a guy who tests poorly so I’m not alone when it comes to a book. And sure, I worked on my hara-kiri letter. And maybe I mention that last anecdote so that you do listen. Because I am sad as a stray cat that sees winter coming. And I can believe all I want alone, but it is people who care, and my hope that they understand.
I think pain changes the older we get. It isn’t the same pain we have when we are young. I was lucky to be blessed with grief young. Life feels like a lie I’m told to tell myself. Welcome to the most wonderful time of year. The first few last years weren’t so bad to celebrate by myself. It takes more and more to cry nowadays. Same old harping with a new tune. Happy aching.
What a great day for a cigarette.What a great day for a cigarette. What a great day for a cigarette.What a great day for a cigarette. What a great day for a cigarette. What a great day. What a great day for a cigarette. What a great day for a cigarette.What a great day for a cigarette. What a great day for a cigarette. What a great day for a cigarette. .
Everything is meant to suck a little. It’s fun to go see my family and be the family fuck-up. Even with whatever dry, I still don’t have a career, and ten years later, I still don’t drive a car. But what I have, is patience. I sit with the family. And I know, my time will come. Whether my time will come and I die with honor, or my time will fucking arrive and all this bullshit that I live with is going to be damn near worth it. Of course there is beautiful days.
Beautiful day. Beautiful day. Beautiful day. Beautiful day. Beautiful day. Beautiful day.Beautiful day. Beautiful day. Beautiful day. Beautiful day. Beautiful day. Beautiful day. Beautiful night. Beautiful day. Beautiful day. Beautiful day. Beautiful day.
The nights are hard. I am alone. I am. But it is all beautiful. I am not enslaved to beauty though. It is the death of some good men. Beauty has so little to do with the physical. It is found so much more in music than in people.
It’s not that I don’t have literally hundreds of people, beautiful in my life that love me. It t is hard to Love Love. What do you want from me? I sure as hell had some love to give when I was a kid. I hope you’re out there reading this, Mary Chirstmas. haha. I’ll live just to laugh, and laugh just to live. You too, Miss Death.

Ben Bonkoske is the author of two novels, Spoon in the Road, and Carolina, Colorado, California. He is also the author of two collections of short stories, Ten Zen by Ben, and Eleven Stories for 11:11. He lives in Chicago, where he likes to take walks.
B. A, M.A.T.