.

The white mouse turns a corner and slides on the cold tile of the kitchen floor. The grey-striped cat follows closely behind, its claws clattering as it chases the quick blur of white.

My mother wasn’t born this strong.

No, her strength comes from years of labor.

Labor of the body, 

Labor of the mind.

My mother’s shoulders are strong;

You came to me in a dream last night, as curious and full of life as the day I met you on the playground. 

It was the first week of preschool and I had no friends, mostly because I chose not to.