As a veteran, I’ve had my share of experiences with the VA healthcare system for over 14 years now, and let me tell you, it’s a mixed bag. The intention is there, but the execution often leaves much to be desired. Here’s a rundown of the major complaints many of…
In 2005, our vessel made port at Guam for a port call. The majority of the crew got to have liberty, but not me—I was on duty the day before we left, which kept me on the ship. That’s part of the job, isn’t it? I was once called in…
He’d headed west ’cause he felt that a change would do him good, But now, even years later, he wonders what he was chasing. California’s beauty never matched the restlessness inside. The golden hills were just a backdrop to a mind always looking for the next escape. It’s the stillness…
I know I’ve been distant, but I want you to know I’m still here. It’s not that I don’t care, I just haven’t been reaching out. I’ve been fighting my own battle, one that feels personal, and sometimes it’s easier to face it on my own. I’ve pulled away, isolated…
There’s a quiet storm that lingers now, a strength that once simmered beneath the surface, contained but powerful, like a fire that knew its own limits but dared to burn brighter. Love once spoke loudly, showing itself in the smallest ways, in the brush of hands, in the spaces left…
I need to get these jumbled thoughts Out of my head. My musings, my daydreams, my journals. Pouring my heart and soul out With every keystroke. I need to clear my mind. I need to regain my focus. I… I… Wait—what was I needing? Oh yes… I need to do…
I hope whatever tore you apart and made you tear my heart from my chest finally leaves your mind. I hope the pain that broke you and bled into me teaches you to love deeper.If my shattered heart helps you heal, I hope it’s worth it. I hope it brings…
Lately, you might have noticed that I’ve been sharing a lot of poetry. It’s not something I used to do, and I want to share why that changed. For a long time, much of my poetry stayed hidden, just words on paper or files on my computer. I wrote over…
I wrote this when I was inpatient at the West Haven VA a few years ago though I’ve never shared this until today. The young lady who came and did Art with us (she’s awesome) played music while we did whatever art we wanted in the dayroom. She’d rotate around…
Nobody knows how many times I’ve been let down, How many times I’ve sat in my room, staring into the void, Letting tears fall, unseen, unheard. Nobody knows the moments I’ve lost hope, The times I’ve felt the fragile edges of myself crack, When darkness whispered, and I struggled to…
