"All this happened, more or less."

12/5/23     "No Inconsequential Choices" by Amber Counts I reflect on the combination of random, wild, mindless, labored, right or wrong choices made by my parents that resulted in my existence. If one ponders the infinite possibilities or potential parallel universes created by each decision, a mental fight, flight, or freeze reflex takes hold. I feel overwhelmed by the near impossibility of me . Calculating these moments of fateful decision-making as they compound exponentially through ancestors and time, I freeze in awe not just of my own existence but also of everyone and every historical consequence throughout human history. And it's not just the choices my ancestors made but also the choices made for them, about them, and around them that continue to shape reality in ways foreseen and unforeseen. For we are all part of a great human tapestry women both together and in isolation, and the thread I carefully weave might be reinforced or unraveled by another. If we let

12/4/23 When I need inspiration to write, I often read a poem-of-the-day on one of the following sites: Poets.org - https://poets.org/poem-a-day   PoetryFoundation.org - https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/poem-of-the-day   12/4/2023 Inspiration: “Yiddishland” by Erika Meitner https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/57958/yiddishland   My poem… “Memories, Forgotten” by Amber Counts I listened to my grandmothers’ stories. I swear I did. I leaned forward with anticipation each time They shared their experiences, Told tales of our ancestors whom I would never know (But whose choices still shape reality), Or allowed glimpses into who they were– Separate from my grandmothers–           Who they really were–           I listened. And I remember a great deal, but not enough. My ancestors’ names have begun slipping through Gaps in my memory. How many siblings accompanied each of my great-grandparents Along his or her life’s journey? Why did my maternal family move to Texas (An