Growing up, Oregon was my number one vacation spot. My mother would always take me here to visit family, namely my grandparents. The drive up was refreshing, invigorating, especially going through the Redwoods. When I was younger, I would make fantasies about fairies hiding in the trees, about them singing beautiful songs. My face would be pressed to the glass and I would hold my breath, trying to catch just one glimpse of them. Even as I grew older, this state has meant something special to me.

...It just isn't the right kind of special. By that I mean I cannot call this place home. Though my family is here and now all my friends, something just feels off. Every time that we go anywhere, it still feels foreign. I have gone by these places many times, but they still seem unfamiliar. This feeling is always intensified whenever it rains or the sky is clouded over.

My theory is that I still want this place to be a fairytale. I still want this place to remain a mystery and for the people to be charming and beautiful; people who would never hurt you. Unfortunately reality gets in the way of that. It actually hurts much worse if something goes wrong here, whatever it may be. I have experienced more loss since moving here than I ever have. At the same time, I have experienced more joy as well.

One day I'll stop living in a dream, but for now I think I'll stay. It magnifies the bad, but also the good. Eventually I will come to know this land as home. Right now I shall savor my fairies and listen intently for their sweet songs.



Have you ever lived someone where you couldn't call home? What was your experience with it? What was your reasoning?

Hearing about crimes and tragedy is commonplace in the world today. For those who aren’t involved in these events it is easy to distance themselves from it. I have heard countless reasons to why they do this. Some of the reasons are understandable, but others disgust me. “Death happens to everyone, it isn’t that big of a deal.” It is an indisputable fact that dying happens to everyone eventually. Regarding heinous murder cases however, that rationale disturbs me a great deal. The loss of life to a violent crime cannot be justifiable.

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In dangerous professions, people work knowing the risks involved. These people typically work for a greater cause. When soldiers are deployed to a war torn country, they are faced with their own mortality. They are aware that they can die at any given moment from enemy forces. Not only do these men and woman have to be trained extensively physically, but they must be mentally strong.

News channels will cover murders about civilians to an almost absurd length. They gather not only the facts, but the emotions of witnesses, family members, friends, etc. They post updated versions daily for some times weeks at a time. Yet when those who dedicate their lives to their country pass, they do not receive the acknowledgment each of them deserves. Even though these women and men knew the risks involved in their jobs, it does not mean that they are any less important. These men and women should have the same dedication from the media outlets as any average civilian for they do things that the typical person could not.

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I believe that President Obama should declare a day of national mourning for the victims of Fort Hood. These soldiers were preparing to deploy and returning home. Rather than dying in the line of duty, they were murdered by one of their own. This was a tragedy unspeakable and one of the most atrocious crimes that I have heard about in recent times.

These soldiers should be honored in every way possible; their families deserve to see that. Their lives were ended far too soon and in a brutal fashion. They should be respected, admired, and remembered for who they were individually and as a whole.

She experienced two devastating miscarriages with the man she loved. Each loss carried separate emotional turbulence and the last one was the absolute worst. The young lady struggled to keep herself in a moderately happy demeanor around her beloved. She didn't want anyone to witness the insurmountable pain she felt constantly. After each loss, the lovers went through difficult periods. They grew distant with each other to protect one another from what the other was feeling. Both became absorbed inside their own depression and desperation and it resulted in countless arguments and misunderstandings. After a few months passed, the lovers buried the pain they felt. They set out on a mission to reset their emotional clocks.

During the periods of renewing, the lovers would create ideas for their future. Some plans were silly and others soothed their very souls. The young woman would cling to what she did have: her beloved and their puppy. She would sing with joy for what they had and tried to forgot the tragedies in their lives. He enjoyed this period of time for they became closer during each one. It refreshed their relationship and gave both new hope in life. Naturally, the young man adored the attention he was given, even when he was far too busy for all of it. He understood her more deeply than she understood herself many days. He guided her from the darkness that she wandered into, back into the blinding light of bliss. When he did this, the young lady was oblivious. She lived her life to please him, she wanted to be his perfect wife.

The couple reached new heights in their lives, both individually and together. They grew up from silly teenage dreams to adult reality. They were striven to make this reality as positive as possible. After the bad was over, came a rainbow of good events. He protected her in this way and made it possible, at least for her. Each year that passed, they would mourn their various losses, whether it be family, friends, or children. The lovers always did this by celebrating what their lives were or could have been.

Finally they came full circle. He was ready to give to her the ultimate gift. The gift that was irreplaceable and the most beautiful of all: life. He took the steps necessary to provide for his wife, for his future child. The young lady was elated and together they strove to become healthier. They would not lose this fragile dream. He kept her focused and helped her when she fell. He gave up his own unhealthy addictions to inspire her and it did.

They opened the chapter of their new lives; scared and excited, nervous and confident. It would be the most phenomenal event each of them could imagine. They anxiously awaited the beginning...