By Victoria (Tori) Martinez   After pain comes a season of healing. For some it is loud and dramatic, for me it was quiet and intentional. Poetry began as a way for me to breathe again. I found myself sitting by the river, listening to the steady reassurance of water moving forward. I walked slowly through the woods letting the trees remind me that rooted things still bend and that sleeping is surviving. I napped in warm sunlight, giving my body permission to rest without guilt, to exist...

By Victoria (Tori) Martinez At the beginning of each new year, I choose a word to carry me through the year. This year I chose a word that felt both tender and terrifying: LOVE. Not the easy kind that is wrapped in romance and pretty affirmations. The kind that asks you to sit with yourself, to reflect in the quiet moments, to push through the hard moments, and notice how you’ve chosen to love and be loved. Somewhere between cold snowy mornings with a cup of tea and the cozy evenings by the...

By Victoria (Tori) Martinez Dear Gentle Reader, What if you don't need to find more balance in your life. What if instead you need more clarity. Let go of the idea that “Life is a balancing act.” No, my dear, it is not. Living life according to this idea is only going to bring stress, worry, and bad health. Instead, embrace the idea that life is about prioritizing what’s most important. Sitting in my comfy chair, wrapped in my fuzzy blanket, with a cup of tea in hand, I reflected back on what...