Piece of Heart

In the moment the door swung shut, I knew it would never reopen for me.
In that moment, a small, shattered piece of my heart cried out for me to turn around.
Turn around, and claw and rip and pound at the door until they let me back in.
Back in to the wonder, to the magic and bliss.
Back in to the friends that little piece of my heart already missed.
(How little can a piece of heart be, when its cries drown out the rest?)
Falling down to trembling knees, I clutched at eyes whose tears could not be allowed to fall.
If those tears fell, the little shattered piece of heart would only grow stronger.
I'd made my choice. I'd walked through the door.
That part of my life, those moments both wondrous and ruinous, were over.
Gone, like snow melted by the spring sun.
(Like the kiss of your love's last breath.)
Planting my hands against the smooth wood floor, I forced myself to get up. Get up without looking back, for if I were to look back and find the door ajar, I'd not be able to leave that world again.
(Without the one who could mend your shattered heart, all that world could be was empty.)
Each step away from the door was a betrayal, a throwing away of promises I'd meant to keep.
But each step away was also a relief, a burden lifted from shoulders too worn down to carry anything anymore.
So I left that door, hidden high in the faded blue house. I left that house, filled with memories from a shattered heart, from one too weak to continue on through all the loss.
The world I returned to could never replace the one I'd left, but at least here, that shattered piece of heart wouldn't find reminders everywhere I glance.

To be Friendly

1. People are nicer when you are nice.
2. It is easier to get along with someone if you're not trying to tear each other apart with words.
3. You can't really make friends if you constantly act like a jerk.
4. You might find that the guy next to you on the train knows a great pattern for knitted gloves.
5. It makes the workday pass by smoother.
6. Because when in a strange place, the locals can be your best friends.
7. A smile costs nothing, but can brighten someones entire day.
8. One day, you might need your sibling's left kidney.
9. If you strive to have a good attitude, one day you won't need to work to maintain it.
10. Because if you make the baby cry, you're instantly the Bad Guy to everyone in the room.

Cats...

Cats stalk the streets, and the steal into hearts.
Cats disregard orders to get off of counters, and think every cup belongs to them.
Cats stretch claws into fish tanks in hopes of a feast.
Cats turn their noses up at what humans want them to eat.
Cats purr for a moment, then bite the caressing hand.
Cats leave you filled with such love and irritation, for they know your heart best.

To Laugh

1. You're watching a fun movie.
2. Your pet did something silly.
3. A baby giggled at you.
4. Someone decided to be punny.
5. You got startled.
6. Because laughter is better than sorrow.
7. You did something dumb, but fixable.
8. You saw little kids being kids at the park.
9. You've stayed up way too late, and now can do nothing else.
10. You stubbed your toe.

Lessons in Tree Climbing

Tree climbing is not something mermaids are particularly good at, but anything is possible when you've been chased ashore by an angry critter.
Looking down at the mass of tentacles framing the neck of a walrus-like creature, the mermaid isn't sure which is stranger; that she managed to not only climb higher enough in the tree in under a minute to get out of reach of those tentacles; or the creature itself.
She had a good catalogue of the creatures in the deep, and this thing wasn't on any chart she'd compiled.
Now that she could take a moment to study it, she wondered what creature its tentacles were similar to. They were writhing around too much for her to get a clear view, especially from up in the tree.
But she was not coming down while the creature was still lurking on the beach.
Nope.
No getting out of this tree...
How did one get down from a tree?
With a groan, the mermaid lean her head back against the trunk, careful not to let go of the branches she was using to help keep her balance.
Trees really weren't designed for someone with the lower body of a flying fish.
Hmm, maybe that was how she'd gotten up the tree so fast. With enough speed, she had skimmed the ocean's surface before.
Still, climbing up was one thing. Getting down would be so much harder.
And the tentacle-maned walrus wasn't alone anymore. When had so many more of them gotten here?
Oh no, what if this was their beach?
Groaning again, the mermaid shook her head as the tentacle-maned walruses began conversing in a ruckus that was part typical walrus serenades (if you enjoy a serenade that makes it impossible to hear yourself thing), and part writhing tentacles.
She was going to be stuck in this tree for a while.
Unless, of course, she learned how to fly.

To Run

1. Because you are being chased by a hungry hydra.
2. So you can make it up the hill in time to watch the sunrise.
3. Each mile earns you another bite of a tasty treat.
4. It builds your endurance, so you can last longer than the other guy in a race-not-to-be-eaten.
5. Because it helps you avoid those things you've been procrastinating.
6. If you don't, you'll have a very energetic and sad pup bounding up and down the stairs.
7. You're late for a date.
8. Because exercise is good, most of the time.
9. To prove to the snow that you're not afraid of it (though you really should be).
10. Because the last cookie belongs to you.

Six Little Pizzas

Six little pizzas all in a box.
Then a hungry girl comes skipping in yellow socks.
She plucks off all the pepperoni with a munch munch munch.
Then she nibbles at the olives, and crunches all the crust.
After that she slurps the sauce, without a hint of disgust.
The deconstructed pizzas settle well in her belly.
And as she skips away, the girl pulls out a jar of yellow jelly.

For Buttons

1. They help keep clothing closed.
2. They make cute eyes for stuffed animals.
3. They can be the center of a crafted flower.
4. With a bit of yarn, they make for a simple toy.
5. They are cute.
6. They can replace missing tokens for a boardgame.
7. They can keep track of how many chores the children have completed.
8. There is a perfect one for any occasion.
9. They can help decorate a school project.
10. They can inspire you to try new craft ideas.