Letchworth National Park: Travels?

Great experience, I would definitely love to travel across the country and all over the world. Considering doing study abroad or maybe a cross country road trip adventure with my husband. Wishful thunking because I'm a broke college student and I need lots of $$$ for that. I hoping to visit Chicago and Yellowstone National Park at some point next year.

Everything Except Love

It makes your heart break
And your body shake
From head to toe.
It gives you that
Sinking feeling that things
Just aren’t right.
It comes when you
Least expect it.
The broken mirror
obscures reality
as you succumb
Although you see it coming.
you are helpless against its siege
It quickens your pulse
As you feel it
Rise from the depths
Of your unimaginable insecurities.
But, you run away
And never face it.
To stare it in the eye
Would shatter the misconceptions
That you love so much.

Dear Henry

Dear Henry,
You’re welcome, well you see that guy, you remember Chris, asked me out on a date to the movies, and then when I showed up he wasn’t there. I waited for an hour there by myself, and then I left, realizing I had been played. I didn’t even want to come to school the next day, and I had managed to avoid him the entire day. But, afterschool I had a cross-country meet, and he had a soccer game. I remember he was standing outside the girl’s locker room, waiting for me to emerge. I had to leave eventually; you had to do 5 suicides if you were late. So when I came out, he whispered in my ear, “Nobody likes you.” There was no way I could face competition after that, I just had to escape, somewhere. I told Coach that I was meeting with a teacher, and as soon as I entered your room the tears would no longer stay down. But, anyways, that was a long time ago, just stupid high school stuff. You know, back in the world of clicks, popularity, rumors, and gossip.
As for your family problems, all I have to say is, “a bird in the sky may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say.” Once you tell one person, keeping something like that private, is like trying to put toothpaste back into the tube after you’ve squeezed it all out. I’m sorry to hear that, I knew you and your father were never close, and I’m very sorry for your loss. If there’s anything I can do, please let me know. It’s good to know you are not going through it alone, and at least you have Chili. I know what it’s like to lose a pet. I used to have 5 hermit crabs; I loved them very much, especially Sparkles, my favorite one. Sparkles survived all of the others, but I fed him too much. Then he got really fat, and his shell broke, so he died. That was the only time I’ve cried when a pet died, so I understand what that’s like, to lose a pet that is so much worse than to lose a friend.
I do remember that day, but you’ve done much worse. There was that time you made us memorize the periodic table of the elements, so you sang that element song. You were, by far, my craziest teacher, even crazier than most of my professors. So, you heard about that? Jess is such a busybody; I can’t believe she told you. Some people should just get a life. Well, thanks for the good wishes, the book should be coming out sometime in spring of next year. Everyone is quite excited over here. So, I guess you already know what’s new with me. I assume Jess told you everything.
As Always,
Rose

Dear Rose

Dear Rose,
Thank you for the letter. Yes, I do remember, that was a number of years ago. You seemed to be pretty broken up, about, that guy, wasn’t he…I can’t really remember, but you looked like the last thing you needed was to be talked at. How did you hear about my family problems? Well, it’s good to know that someone out there cares. I’ve had a really hard time with it, and I haven’t seen my dad since the funeral. About a week ago I bought a new cat, to help me cope. Kiki ran away and Boshi got hit by a car. Now, Chili is my only comfort.
I never knew that’s why people didn’t like me, but you know what I didn’t care what they thought me. You shouldn’t be afraid to be yourself, but I don’t’ have to tell you that. Remember that day I came to school dressed like an atom? So, you should know by now I don’t care what people think. I am who I am, and nothing will change that.
I’m glad to hear from you though; no one seems to keep in touch. I miss you all. Even though you and I were never that close, except for that one day in my office. You seemed like a private person, and we really didn’t talk that much. I heard about your big news from Jess, congratulations. As you know, I still work at Charles Baker, and besides the family issues, there’s not much new with me. Good to know you’re still writing.
Sincerely,
Mr. Fabien
P.S. It's ok to call me Henry now.

Dear Mr. Casey

I know I haven't posted in a while. I just haven't been inspirted to write anything. Recently, I started reading Perks of being a Wallflower, and was inspired to write this fictional letter.


Dear Mr. Casey,
I hope this letter reaches you in good confidence. I just wanted to tell you I really appreciate you. You may not remember that time I ran into your office afterschool one day, crying, just needing a place for refuge. I didn’t say why I was there, maybe I did, but it probably didn’t make any sense to you. It didn’t even make sense to me. You were there when I needed you, you didn’t ask any questions or try to lecture me, you simply sat there and listened, handing me a tissue when appropriate. I know that you have had a hard time fitting in at Charles Baker High at first. Maybe it is because you have a seemingly unhealthy preoccupation with cats. There is nothing wrong with this if you are an elderly woman in one of those 65 + communities whose children rarely visit now, or a middle class family with 2.5 children a cat and a dog. But, you must admit you don’t see too many single men over 20, who have over 2 cats. Maybe, that is why people always used to give you funny looks and snicker as you walked by. I’m sure if I got to know you better I’d actually like you, but I’ve been very busy. I’ve been studying, reading, writing occasionally when I have the time. I hear life is not all well on your end, with your family troubles. I can’t say I understand, or even know the situation, but all I know is that if that happened to me, I’d be devastated. So, I’m sending you this letter as a bit of encouragement, to let you know that I care, even if I don’t really understand.
Cordially,
Rose

Crushed

In this muddled mess, I stand
This is a lonely place, one filled
With shattered glass and
Empty walls,
Crumpled papers blow
Cold metal stairs
Lead to a hidden room
Filled with unspeakable
things
Outside
Beauty sings, and windows
Shine brilliantly like polished silver
Blooming trees grow abundantly
But, a picturesque cobblestone path
leads to
Darkness and thickening gloom
The beauty falls away
And there is nothing left
Expect the truth
Which isn’t much

Ice Cream

Rose had driven by it perhaps a hundred times, never realizing that was the place. Her car slowed, and she found herself pulling into the hidden parking lot. She remembered, but only a distant memory, maybe even a memory of a memory. For a brief moment her eyes saw a different time, a different life. A blistering day, the sun beat down on a pair of tired bikes, cooking in the blaze. A large oak stood in front of the girl, who leapt behind it when the boy started singing a song about birds he had learned at camp. Her embarrassment made the oak blush with her. The boy pulled her to the picnic table where they sat, hand in hand, eating their ice cream. The young girl playfully dabbed the ice cream off the tip of the boy’s nose, and licked it off her finger while he gave her that sly, impish grin, that only mischievous boys can do. They restlessly wiggled, until they could no longer stand the thought of sitting. Singing songs from their favorite band, they took off on their bikes, racing each other down a hill that surveyed a soccer game below. They gazed down at the players, seemingly unaware of the heat pulsing around them, focusing only on the ball, which flew from one goal to the other. After the game ended they rode home together, talking animately and laughing about nothing.
A startling ring brought her back to the present, and Rose fumbled for her phone.
“Hey honey, how’s my favorite girl?” the all too familiar voice rang out over the line.
“Oh good, how are you?” she said
“I’m doing great, what are you up to?”
“Nothing, just, nothing really. I thought I’d stop for some ice cream on the way home.”
“That’s real nice of you, the kids will really love that. I just finished making dinner, and we’re just waiting on you. What kind of ice cream were you thinking of getting?”
“Just a little place, you’ve never heard of it, but I think you’d like it, I think you might, it tastes like childhood, and a late summer afternoon.”