A plan for getting through the day

Toil and trouble

• Lean into your family and the people you love.

• Take meaningful, positive action in your community.

• Donate to progressive causes.

• Take a deep, cleansing breath.

• Take a walk outside.

• Keep walking.

• Feel the ground beneath your feet.

• Keep walking.

• Withdraw $100 from an ATM.

• Throw your phone and ID into the garbage.

• Keep walking.

• Walk into the woods.

• Find a running stream.

• Dig into the earth and make a little insulated home in the leaves.

• Create a “squirrel trap” with acorns on a thin pile of leaves on sticks over a pit full of spikes.

• Create a blade by grinding a rock over another rock.

• Skin and cook the squirrel. It’s actually incredible or maybe you’re just very hungry but either way.

• Build a “stick hut” over your leaf hole and pack the space between the sticks with more leaves.

• Fall into a dreamless sleep.

• Awaken to the sound of a Boy Scout troop hiking past your stick leaf hovel.

• “Whoa,” one of them snorts, “What lives in THAT?”

• “A WITCH!” you shriek as the children run choking on their shouts, “A REAL AND ACTUAL WITCH!”

• Cackle and cackle as they retreat.

• Take a deep, cleansing breath.

• Crawl out of your den.

• Stand. Brush yourself off.

• Pick the leaves out of your hair.

• Take off your clothes. Lay in the freezing stream.

• Dry in the sun.

• Get dressed.

• Go for a walk.

• Keep walking.

• Keep going.

• Walk until you’re on your street.

• It has been 6 hours. They’ll be home from school any minute.

• Rush into your door and quickly change before anyone sees.

• When your husband asks “How was your day?” Say: “Great!”

• Hear the door open.

• Wait for the “Mamaaaaaa??”

• Answer “My biggest love??”

• Catch him when he throws his arms around you.

• Feel his heart thump against your heart.

• Ask, “How was school?”

• Squeeze him as he says, “Great.”