Resting in New Orleans

letting go of destructive narratives and allowing myself to heal

colors, colors, colors in one of the most beautiful cities in the world

I’ve wanted to visit New Orleans since I was eleven years-old. My mom had a friend that lived there; a jazz musician I admired.

In 2015, after graduating from my MFA, I drove the Natchez Trace Parkway through the south— the one region of the United States I hadn’t explored. But when I reached New Orleans I drove past the city, knowing that my car full of stuff, including my bike, would get broken into if I stopped in any city.

One of the reasons I chose the PhD program in Tallahassee was its proximity to many cities I’d always wanted to explore: especially Atlanta and New Orleans. So, when I saw a pet-sit here in New Orleans, I jumped on it.

The nice thing about visiting a place when you live within driving distance is the lack of pressure. I haven’t felt the pressing need to explore everything in this trip, which is good, because there’s a record-breaking heat wave and it’s truly hot AF.

When I got here I was total…