Isis Faubel

“freeze.”
― Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House in the Big Woods

“Meantime, a midsize Labrador mutt cut me off at the cul-de-sac. He was in desperate need of a rubdown. I gave it a thought but feared his bark and constant gruff. I locked eyes then noticed his black and white patches rotated with agitations. He yapped and yapped and bluffed mightily, but he cautiously stayed a safe distance away. Eventually, he lost all courage and quietly ran for shelter. As for me, I never stopped advancing toward my brother’s place. It took some effort but

I serpentine and zigzagged my way through dandelions and fast-food wrappings lying in the
yard.
 
The closer I got, the more definite the sounds of dishes breaking, kids playing, infants testing

their lungs, and TVs watching themselves became. Jerry and his wife had separated some time ago. Regardless, he was left with four adult daughters still in the nest. Obviously, the girls brought kids of their own to the mix. But everything unfolding before me appeared chaotic on the other side of that threshold. That entire scene grew larger andmore intimidating with every timid step I took.”
― Harold Phifer, My Bully, My Aunt, & Her Final Gift

“Patient endurance and self-discipline mean we submit to the present moment as it is, not as we would like it to be.”
― Amos Smith, Holistic Mysticism: The Integrated Spiritual Path of the Quakers

“Sylva was unmoved. “I want the threat of this child permanently removed, and I will ensure my brother carries out my instructions. I need details of the family, their names and where they live in Tamin.”
― Robert Reid, The Emperor