Survivor Story
I Could Be Still
A yellow jacket emerged from an underground nest to tickle my tanned 8-year-old pinky toe.
Straining my head to see without rocking the hammock, I glanced at the intruder.
“There’s a wasp on your foot!”
“It’s OK,” I replied to my friend.
*
I knew how to be still. Intruders in neighborhood basements taught me how to remain motionless, except in my mind, where I joined the Muppet Show. Before I knew it, the closing curtain would be drawn, and I’d return to the present.
*
I wasn’t worried about a harmless wasp. No need to join the show. I stayed calm — a good girl — until the stinger flew away.
From the Author:
I'm in my "wisdom years" now, looking back on my bittersweet bravery from childhood. Writing is an invaluable tool to express my emotions and integrate past hurt with present healing. I live in northern Minnesota and Michigan, along the shores of Lake Superior, with my spouse and beloved dogs.
- Sarah Hurst
Sarah loves to walk dogs, teach yoga, travel and play in the outdoors near Lake Superior. She recently started to write regularly, later in life, after taking a writing course.
