Venessa enters the bar and spots Monica down at the end waving her over. She slaps a smile on her face and weaves her way through the crowd. They embrace tightly, squealing and both exclaiming how much they each missed one another. The bartender takes their order and they both sit down.

"Okay girl, time to get serious." Monica pulls out a small notepad and pen. "How are we going to plan this re...

Everyone at the table is laughing hysterically. The game Spoons has been a staple is our house for as long as I can remember. We play all the time, and it never gets old. Nothing brings my family closer than a game of lunging over a table and fighting for colorful plastic spoons.

A new round begins and everyone gets serious. We all have our poker faces on and the cards carousel around the table....

Cassie started off the day at 100%

On her way to work she stopped to get some coffee. The woman at the drive through window was incredibly chatty. How's your day so far? Got any plans? What do you do for work? She tells Cassie all about her own morning, her dog, and something about school. Honestly, Cassie misses most of the conversation and her battery drains every moment the woman prattles on...

The burden of memory

Is the burden of grief

It is for those who choose to remember

Those who cannot forget

It is a burden I choose to bear

For I choose to remember you

I cannot forget your soft smile

I will always remember your laugh

Your too kind eyes

or their emptiness on that fateful day

The white rose on the black casket

Descending down beneath the earth

I choose to remember you

The go...

Three years I've been renting out my aunts' basement. It's spacious with a living room, bedroom and full bathroom. She had the floors redone when I moved in and I even got to choose the color of the walls. I am grateful to her for putting a roof over my head. However, for three years I have done nothing but want to move out. Today is finally that day.

The steps creak under me and I make my way d...