So Gem and I...

So, this happened:  "The Great Gatsby" themed spring formal with Gem, whom I've decided to give a Blogger label. So yeah. It's getting serious.

He looks weird in this picture.

Or maybe I'm just trying to find things that were wrong about that night, because really, it throws a good cynic for a loop when an evening turns out perfectly.

{Although cynicism aside, I totally do look bow-legged.}

He picked me up in a full white tuxedo, complete with a top hat and cane. Despite his efforts to warn me of his extravagance, I was still taken by surprise.

Once in the car, he asked if I was hungry yet.

"Here's the thing," I said. "I have a tendency to not get hungry, so we should probably not wait for that to happen."

"Well," he countered. "Remember how I don't get hungry when I'm nervous? Yeah. So me neither."

"Sooo...why don't we just...not waste money on food neither of us is going to eat?"

"OH!" he exclaimed suddenly. "I have an idea. I am not going to tell you what it is. Can you handle a surprise?"

I said I could.

We talked nonstop til he pulled into a Walmart parking lot. He looked at me. "We're going on a quest to find lemon-poppy seed muffins."

This guy. I'm pretty into his style.

Don't forget, we were dressed to the freakin' nines in 1920s get-up. He offered me his arm and we strutted through Walmart, counting the compliments we received. {Four total.}

We ate our muffins in the car and talked and talked and talked. So much talking. I found out that he's a morning person; handles cold better than hot; and used to be a government nerd.

As the time approached to actually go to the dance, I confessed that I had never been to one of Campbell's dances and I was afraid it might be lame.

"No!" he said. "We'll make it fun! But no seriously, if it sucks, I brought my laptop so we can just leave and watch Doctor Who."

My mouth fell open. "I was just getting ready to tell you that if it's lame we can go back to the dorm and watch Netflix."

Great minds, I suppose.

The dance did not, in fact, suck. The decorations were perfectly Gatsby-esque and the music was mostly good and I saw a lot of people I knew. And Gem. Gem was awesome.

One of the first things he told me upon arrival:  "I don't want you leaving this dance wishing we'd danced more."

It was like fireworks in my heart XD Words and dancing are my love languages.

I was pleased to find out that he is a confident, fun dancer, one of those people who can do any move without it seeming embarrassing or forced. Once, he went into the middle of a dancing circle and did that Russian move, where you squat and pop your legs out XD Even though he did it well, it was hilarious and everyone cheered.

Then slow dancing happened. I don't like slow dancing. It feels stilted and awkward and it's basically a nightmare for someone who hates eye contact. Gem's and my slow dance wasn't the worst ever, but it was far from comfortable to me. We talked some, about fire fairies and eye colors and probably something else, but I was too busy trying not to breathe muffin breath on him to focus.

When the dance was over, he looked me square in the eyes and said, "Guess what? I'm not gonna ask."

And he kissed me.

He completely surprised me, and then I surprised myself by not minding. Actually, it really broke a barrier between us and we both seemed more at ease for the rest of the dance. His style once again reminded me that it's possible to be fun and sexy without being raunchy. Sometimes I forget that.

When we got back to Campbell, a lot more talking happened, which I loved. The more I get to know him the more I can be myself. I was afraid the opposite might be true, but it just isn't.

I changed into sweatpants and we watched two episodes of Doctor Who in the back of the Kia, under a sleeping bag Gem had in his trunk. I felt really safe and comfortable and happy. I didn't realize how much I'd missed that feeling.

"I watch so much Netflix," I confessed at one point. "Since giving up Facebook for Lent, Netflix is my procrastination tool of choice."

"Jeez, Stephanie," Gem said. "Get a life. You need a boyfriend or something."

"Yeah?" I said. "Do you need a girlfriend?"

"I think so."

"Huh. Maybe we can help each other."

So yeah, I guess it's official :) It is a weird situation for me.

See, I'm Gem's first everything. I was his fist date, his first kiss, and now his first girlfriend. I'm used to being the inexperienced one with all the firsts, having a guy lead--and lead very well. PC did me wrong in a lot of ways, but I will say that looking back, he was a good teacher of sorts. His style never made me feel awkward about my inexperience. As creepy as it might sound, I hope I can do as well with Gem, leading in the subtlest and most reassuring of ways.

When we said goodbye, Gem went for a cheek kiss but faked me out and got a real on. He makes me laugh.

Since the night of the dance, several things have unfolded, and all in the best ways possible. I'm increasingly glad--though ever-wary--to be dating him. For the first times ever this week, I've been, like, missing him, wanting to see him. If I go home before Easter, it'll be because of him.

Guys, I am luckier than I deserve.

Thanks for putting up with an uncharacteristically sappy post XD

 ~Stephanie

Poetry and Party Poopers

No one knows who wrote "Beowulf." But because of "Beowulf," we know a lot about ancient culture, particularly about some of the first literary heroes and villains.

For instance, the villain--the monster named Grendel--hates music. He first attacks the kingdom because he hears singing and it annoys him. He hates the sound; he hates the celebration; he hates the fellowship.

Grendel lives far away from people. {I guess he just has phenomenal hearing.} We later find out that he shares a home with his mother, but it's just the two of them. He hates company.

From the way Grendel is villainized {I choose to believe that's a word}, we modern-day readers can gather that in "Beowulf's" day, silence and solitude were frowned upon. If you didn't like poetry and parties, you were evil.

But then you have the hero, Beowulf, himself. Beowulf doesn't LIVE in solitude, but does insist on going to battle alone. How come the hero can get away with the very actions that make the villain what he is?

I don't know.

I also can't decide if I think today's values have changed or not.

Certainly, today's heroes must be team players or they're labeled "arrogant." If modern heroes demand to work alone, 9 times out of 10 they end up suffering some kind of "humbling" experience that teaches them to value others. This is because today’s issues are increasingly of global rather than regional importance, causing heroes to model teamwork as a subtle lesson for society.

What about poetry and parties? Personally, I support the idea that hating poetry makes you a villain XD But parties?

I think today's society is at least a little more accepting of introverts. We don't rip their arms off or anything. However, there's still the whole wallflower/party pooper stigma, and being "popular" is a timelessly desirable trait.

I dunno. In thirteen hundred years, a lot of things can change. But some things don't change a lot.

~Stephanie

10 Reasons to Like Green

Green has always been my favorite color, with a brief two-year deviation to blue when I was 11-13.

When my sign language teacher asked me why my favorite color was green, I answered with one word:  "Alive."

To me, green is the color of life and energy. It's the color of Go lights and sour apple flavor. It's a strong color. It's neither a "girl" color nor a "boy" color. Most of its shades are pleasant.

But in case you need more convincing, here are 10 reasons to like green {or at least find it a very intriguing color}.

1. Employees in green rooms have fewer stomachaches.
2. In North America, green signifies a rise in stock market prices.
3. According to Examiner.com, driving dark green car means you have a solid, trustworthy personality. A bright green one means you're stylist and mischievous.
4. Green was the color of wedding dresses in the 15th century.
5. Green is often {though not always} a lucky color. Think shamrocks.
6. Green M&Ms allegedly make you horny.
7. Green is a primary color. It is all its own, not made from anything else. {*edit* Totally not a primary color. Say it with me, guys: "Yellow and blue make green!" I'm going to blame 2am exhaustion for this one.}
8. There are more shades of green than any other color.
9. It's the easiest color to look at, and can actually improve vision.
10. "Suicides dropped by 34% when London’s Blackfriar Bridge was painted green." {Factsite.com}

So there you have it. What's your favorite color? Can you back it up? XD

~Stephanie

P.S. Also, here's the link to my new "Public" blog, Reason in the Rhyme. To get it up and running, most of the first posts will just be repeats of ones that have been here, on Peripeteia.

The Casual Vacancy

Title: The Casual Vacancy
Author: J. K. Rowling.
Stars: 3.5
Less-Than-500-Word Review in Short:  Rowing flexes her muscles of character development and profanity in this nitty-gritty social class commentary
Back-of-the-Book:  
"When Barry Fairbrother dies in his early forties, the town of Pagford is left in shock.

Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war.

Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils ... Pagford is not what it first seems.

And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations?"

I Say:  I was super excited to read this book, because, hey, it's Rowling. I've been missing her ever since Harry Potter ended and I was really interested to see how she would write a "grown-up" book.

My initial reaction was contempt. Rowling's writing was the author equivalent of a rebellious preacher's kid. It was like after being trapped for so long in clean, virtuous YA fiction, she vomited profanity and gratuitous sexual comments just because she could. All of her characters were different arrangements of selfishness and overactive libidos, caught up in small town drama. I felt this way for about 85% of the book.

But...the writing itself is kind of fantastic, and the story is expertly crafted. Each character is so complex and authentic {right, Fats?} that you feel as if they MUST exist. Rowling writes them until they climb out of the pages and walk around.

I've heard a lot of complaints that none of the characters are likeable, but all of these comments came from people who didn't finish the book. Enough said about that. The characters are so real that you must treat them like real people:  don't judge them til you know them.

As we know from "Harry Potter," Rowling is a master of setting story gears to turn neatly in place. She ties her loose ends together, and you can watch in relaxed delight as the story lines weave seamlessly in and out of each other.

The book IS pretty much one long social commentary, so if you're not into that, this book is not for you. I found it interesting though, and I like to speculate on what Rowling is really saying. What IS the moral of this multi-faceted story? I have some theories, and I like them.

I Liked
- character development
- tight plot

I Didn't Like
- gratuitous profanity
- very slow-moving

Audience
R-rated. Probably the most profanity I've ever read in a book, along with relatively graphic drug use and sex (including rape)

~Stephanie

So that was short-lived.

Still in the running to be copy-editor of The Campbell Times.

But Peripeteia being Private? The idea just annoyed me way too much. The whole reason I STARTED this blog was so that I wouldn't have to hide. I'm not hiding.

I am plenty qualified to write and edit things, and nothing I post here suggests otherwise.

This is me, and I'm not apologizing.

Sorry for being spastic.

Love.

~Me, dammit

Ugh.

In light of the fact that I'm trying to become copy-editor of my college newspaper...Peripeteia is going Private. Maybe it's temporary. Maybe it's not. But email me if you want to be able to see this blog:

thereasonintherhyme@gmail.com

I realize that this post is supremely useless, because I'm making this blog private directly after hitting "Publish," so anyone who is unaware of this shift won't even see this announcement. But oh well.

So I guess if you're reading this...thanks for caring enough to pursue admittance XD

~Stephanie

Baby Name Perfection

Some of you may know that I used to be obsessed with baby names.

Some of you may know that secretly, I still am.

Naming characters is often the hardest part of a story for me, and yet I CANNOT ever be satisfied with a stand-in name so that I can keep writing. {This problem has derailed more than a few stories.} The past couple of years, I haven't been writing nearly as many stories though, and when I do, I often leave the characters intentionally unnamed. Adds mystery. Saves time.

As far as real-life goes, I've kept a running list of potential baby names since I was about seven years old. However, for some unknown reason, I've stopped doing that lately. Until a few days ago, I had zero realistic girl name possibilities, and only a handful of old standby boys' names {Joshua, Caleb, Daniel, Matthew}.

But then my brain randomly clicked into High Gear Analytical English Major and I settled on two perfect girls' names. Not only do I love the names, but they double-handedly satisfy fifteen separate salutes to friends, family, and fiction. And they're not even ridiculous. {The names, I mean. The explanations are, naturally.}

And here they are.

Shut up. What do YOU do in your spare time?

~Stephanie

Fragments XI

~ There's some ironic incongruity about writing a cover letter while listening to Jay-Z's "Clique."

~ I have the world's saddest eyelashes. You can almost literally count them.

~ Remember when I referenced a head versus heart dispute that Gem and I had senior year? Well, OH MY GOSH GUYS, apparently I blogged about it. THIS post is about Gem o_o Made my night to find this XD

~ I'm giving up Facebook for Lent. It is only twelve hours into Lent {and I was asleep for eight of them} and I'm already struggling. This is almost as sad as my eyelashes.

~ I bought two high-low dresses yesterday. I'm madly in love with both of them. They look amazing with black leggings and combat boots.

~ You know what annoys me more than a lot of things when I'm at home? My mother. Don't get me wrong, our relationship has improved a ton since I was in high school, but seriously? This woman. One of her favorite things to do is ask me what I'm doing. Like, I will be standing at the counter with a bowl in my hand, tipping a box of cereal towards it, and she'll come up behind me and ask what I'm doing. Oh, you know, just adding to Mount Rushmore. I'M HAVING CEREAL, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE I'M DOING?

~ I am the only person who isn't over-thinking my date tomorrow night. Ever since I got asked out on Monday, people have been panicking over what I should wear; if I should have backup choices to change into if he shows up in a radically different style from what I'm wearing; if I should text him and ASK what he's wearing; if the eczema on my face is going to be embarrassing; if we'll have enough to talk about; if he's going to bring me flowers; whether or not he's tall enough for me to wear heels; etc, etc, etc. Honestly, I'm not nervous. We already like each other. We're friends. This isn't a getting-to-know-you, first-impressions-are-everything, make-sure-you-don't-do-THAT kind of first date. It's going to be just fine.

~ Um, read the "Reasons Why I Have Never Written to Santa" in THIS post. Apparently I used to hate writing letters? I don't remember that at all. But apparently I did.

~ 18 years of being a dancer is starting to have all sorts of effects I knew were coming but never wanted to believe:  painful, bad knees; hips that crack loudly; bony feet; and--as always--small boobs. Woo! Worth it? Um, yes. No regrets.

~ Or "ragrets," if you will. I really liked that movie XD

~ I am in the room with my sister and a male. I have been talking and doing things worthy of note, and the boy is choosing to pay 100% of his attention to my sister. I haven't been looked at in ten minutes. It is one of the strangest and coolest experiences I've ever had.

~ "The most dangerous risk of all:  the risk of spending your life not doing what you want on the bet that you can buy yourself the freedom to do it later." My friend Gerard needs to hear this.

~ Gem likes me way more than I was prepared for. It's scaring me.

~ I've been writing bios and a first post and stuff for my potential new "public" blog. I come across arrogant as hell every single time. Like, I kinda am, but 90% of the time, I'm being sarcastic. You guys know that. Readers Of New Blog won't. *headdesk* Whatever.

~ Read THIS. It's an adorable poem and it almost made me cry. {You might have to scroll down a little and click "Read Anyway" or "Continue to Poem" or something. The link is from my own Stumbleupon account.

~Stephanie

The Fate of Peripeteia

I don't know what to do with this blog.

I love it, and it's very "Me." However, there is definitely some content on here that I don't feel comfortable representing me to potential employers. With applying for internships this summer {and almost definitely writing articles for Classical Conversations}, I'm wondering if I need to...do something with Peripeteia.

No matter what, I won't stop blogging, and I won't delete Peripeteia. Mostly likely, I'll make Peripeteia "Private" {and gladly give you all permission to view it} and start a new, public blog. I'd post on both, there would just be some "extra" stuff on Peripeteia that isn't as...kosher.

What do you all think? I'm completely new to this, and I really need to take care of this BEFORE it becomes an issue...which it could very soon.

~Stephanie

The Person Formerly Known as "UB"

Written March 4

"UB."

It's a really stupid nickname/codename/contact name and I hate it. It stands for "Unicorn Boy" and I made it up specifically to annoy him. It's from an inside joke involving a jacket that echoes Dean Winchester.

I stand {sit} before you to produce a new and more seemly codename, should it be needed in the near future.

I'm gonna go with "Gem." {Maybe it seems a little feminine, but trust me, it makes sense, and it sounds enough like "Jim" that it can be masculine. Right? Whatever XD}

In the past couple of months, I've gone on several first dates because a good friend convinced me that they have the potential to be really rewarding.

I have enjoyed {almost} all of my dates. However, I haven't looked forward to a single one. I agree to go out with a guy, then spend the days before the date glaring at myself in the mirror and muttering "Why would you do this to yourself?"

I am kind of a hopeless unromantic.

But as I type this on March 4th, there is a date that I'm actually looking forward to. I started shaking when he asked me. And then I did this horrid, inhuman squeal thing as I went into the next room to tell Cassidy. {Sorry again for that, Cass.}

Of course, he told me that he literally jumped for joy when I said Yes, and I have no reason to doubt him.

Yes the date is with Gem, this sexy-armed Lord of the Rings nerd from senior year who writes me long letters and does somersaults at school dances.

I always remember this spontaneous debate we had in theology class. It was a head-versus-heart discussion, where he argued for the heart and I for the head. I think that argument has caused me to rethink my stubborn ways more than anything else.

I never expected him to like me back. I've had kind of "intellectual feelings" for him for a long time. Mostly I kept them tucked in the back of my mind, to think about whenever convenient. I always had several other girls in mind that I thought he'd be cute with, so I didn't seriously consider myself a candidate for longer than ten minutes at a time.

But he said it himself, over the phone: "I really like you, and I would like to go on a date with you."

I'm pretty sure I do like him. I think I knew weeks ago when he said "I'm not going anywhere anytime soon" and my heart erupted in little fireworks.

If you're reading this, the date on March 7th went well, and I have decided that giving him a new nickname is worth the time.

Here's to getting to know Gem a little better :)

~Stephanie

S A

I'm procrastinating. To get the Baptist scholarship, I have to write an essay by April Fool's Day. However, since I don't have a lot to do this week {my spring break}, I have vowed to write the essay this week. Today. Before I rise again from this kitchen chair. Sooo yeah.

And I'm giving up Facebook for Lent, so I can't use that to procrastinate. So I'm really thinking outside the box here. I'm BLOGGING. Ohhhhh. Yeah.

*sigh* Really, this essay isn't going to be that terrible. It only has to be 400 words long and tell about my Campus Ministry. Who's the minister, what do they do, and how has campus ministry impacted me? {Honestly, not much, and about half the experiences have been negative.}

I really think a lot of my campus minister though. Her name is Faithe Beam, and she's one of the warmest, most genuine, and fun-spirited people I've ever met.  Campbell University students gather every Wednesday for "Connections," and she often introduces the speakers.  Reverend Beam also taught my Introduction to Christianity class. She made the course personal and informative. Instead of adding stress, the class became more of a time of reflection and learning.

Reverend Beam also helps counsel students. Freshman year, one of my good friends was subjected to some ridiculous, spiteful drama from her roommate. Reverend Beam met and spoke with my friend on several occasions, and gave her advice that my friend still uses and passes on today. Actually, through word of mouth, I've benefited from some of Reverend Beam's advice, even though I've never met with her one-on-one.

I did meet with my resident chaplain once, though. Her name was Amy Adams. I mostly don't ever ask official people for counsel {or at least that used to be the case}. I'll pick the brains of my friends and family all day, but making an appointment? That's for people who can't handle their own shit.

Well, when PC and I broke up, I could not handle my own shit. So I met with Amy. She mostly just listened to my story and in the end, I felt better about the situation. In talking to her and getting some affirmation, I realized that I wasn't so crazy, hopeless, or inept. She gave me some practical advice that I later tried to apply. {I mean, I failed, but it was practical and I did try.}

As far as the more traditional side of campus ministry {events and worship and such}, I haven't had a lot of experience. But you can tell that Reverend Beam's spirit of warmth and acceptance sets the tone for the whole thing.

Freshman year, I attended an annual event called "One Night." All the different campus ministry groups meet together for a night of worship and spiritual revival. I couldn't find anyone to go with me, so I went alone. The experience would have been a lot less awkward and more fun if people had broken apart from their precious little cliques, but the atmosphere was still good. Music swelled; voices soared; hands rose. The Holy Spirit descended for sure.

I should get involved in SOMETHING campus ministry has to offer. It can't possibly ALL be snotty and superficial.

*shrug* At least I like Reverend Beam.

Huh. This post is 547 words long. I bet you I can use some of it in this essay.

Awww, I see what you did there. You sneaky little beyotch.

Yeah? Good job. Now go write.

Fine.

~Stephanie

Creative Truth-Telling

Connotations (how a word makes us feel) versus Denotations (what the word simply means). For example, "rich" and "affluent" mean basically the same thing. However, "rich" has a tangible, golden connotation, whereas "affluent" sounds much more elegant and elevated.

Playing with connotations/denotations is such a lovely, dangerous game. Everyone should know how to do it a little bit, because along with classic honesty, sometimes it's important to be able to slant things positively.

For instance, what if you're trying to get a high-maintenance friend a date, or write a recommendation letter for a difficult person? {Or what if you're trying to portray your crush's awesome love interest in a less poetic light? Not that anyone would ever do that...} You might want to have some handy synonyms in the front of your mind...

Here are some words with the same (or similar enough) denotations, but very different connotations:

Negative ~~ Positive
Aggressive ~~ Energetic
Arrogant ~~ Confident
Cowardly ~~ Cautious
Emotional ~~ Sensitive
Foolish ~~ Innocent
Impulsive ~~ Spontaneous
Judgmental ~~ Analytical
Lazy ~~ Relaxed
Narrow-minded ~~ Careful Thinker
Shallow ~~ Socially Aware
Stubbornness ~~ Steadfastness
Tactless/Outspoken ~~ Straight-Forward
Timid ~~ Unassuming
Vain ~~ Self-Aware

John is outspoken, vain, and stubborn. He judges people too harshly and is completely obsessed with materialistic things.  His impulsiveness make it hard to plan things well, but he's so pigheaded that he won't let anyone change his mind.

~~

John is straight-forward, self-aware, steadfast. He analyses effectively and is very economically aware. His spontaneity makes life exciting, and his steadfastness can make him a valuable ally.

~Stephanie

Part 3

This Sole Broken Girl

11.11.13

This sole broken girl, and also this boy,

Just what have they done to themselves?

They made the wrong call, which caused them to fall

And the truth neither one of them tells.

That night in late spring, they had a good talk.

They would get right with God and be real.

So they gave it a shot and the girl soon forgot

How uneasy and wrong she could feel.

They worked very well, as everyone saw.

Communication between them was clear.

They made a good team and had fun in between

The busy-ness and growing-up fears.

But nagging away at the girl’s tender heart

Was the knowledge that things were not right.

She could not explain, so instead she refrained

From dragging the truths to the light.

Though they seemed great, on the outside at least,

The issues were brewing within.

The girl was too crazy and the boy was too lazy

And neither would admit their sins.

Dependent and selfish, depressed and depraved,

The girl fell into deep inner strife.

She couldn’t face God with her fragile façade

Of a girl who did right with her life.

Lazy, manipulative, lying and lax,

The boy had issues all his own.

By hiding a lot, more the girl he got.

When she pressed him, he’d throw her a bone.

One day she knew that things couldn’t go on.

She told him that night they were done.

He took it with grace and didn’t lose face

So the dating went down with the sun.

The conviction was strong, though she wasn’t sure why.

It was just that the doubts always stayed.

He looked in her eye, needing no reason why,

And said just “I love you, okay?”

Soon after that night, a big truth came out.

Something he’d hidden forever.

A secret of souls, a secret so cold

She knew they could not be together.

So this was the reason for all the distrust.

So that’s why she couldn’t have peace.

It made so much sense that the girl felt quite dense

And for weeks couldn’t make herself eat.

I won’t discuss here all the pain that she felt.

It would make you ache deep in your soul.

But know it was brutal, and healing was futile,

For the boy would not let the girl go.

She watched from afar as the boy changed his life.

He went running and writing and prayed.

Her heart swelled with pride and it warmed her inside

As he told truth and stood unafraid.

She heard of his changes and grudgingly thought

Was there someone there now she could date?

This new boy…perhaps, but she feared a relapse.

The unease there still would not abate.

But little by little, her memories broke her.

The boy held the same place in her heart.

She trusted him not, but the lonelier she got,

The closer she inched towards the start.

Summer came then, at a really bad time.

She was not whole enough yet to see him.

But he still filled her days in so many ways

And her shell of resistance grew slim.

Instead of becoming an item again,

The two dragged themselves back to the pit.

They were physically close, their excuses verbose

All the progress and hope meant not shit.

They kept up their exploits of touching and fun,

Hauling their skeletons to school.

Their words of respect someone sane would reject.

Their hollow plans turned them to fools.

Their souls were so sick, they did not even see

Just how far their carelessness ranged.

Til one final night full of errant delight

And suddenly—90% changed.

He did not respect her, because she gave in.

She’d known for a while it was lies.

Love? Respect? Or lustful? And wrecked?

Both their words are just that in my eyes.

Broken and tainted, deceitful and wrong.

Is this what the two have become?

After so many tries, and so many lies

The heart of this girl is just numb.

He doesn’t respect her, and she doesn’t him.

If they did, they would act for their good.

Words are just cheap, and the prices too steep

To continue this as they both would.

So here we are now, the poor girl is done.

She’s cut the boy off at the source.

She can’t take his word; his “love” is absurd

Her smooth thoughts and mind become coarse.

She will try to be done; she thinks that is right.

But she hasn’t the strength on her own.

She plans to try God, though that will feel odd

And pray one day she won’t be alone.

~Stephanie

P.S. Part 4 coming sometime this year... I'm doing much better than I was in November :) When the mood strikes, I'll write a final closing piece--probably.