Sitting Here

Slice of Life '26 1 Minute

There are several empty spots in the parking lot, which will quickly fill up as we get closer to 9:00 AM. I’ve always liked that time on Saturdays. Feels like a balanced mix of day off and productivity.

This morning, I sit in my car 10 minutes before the nail place opens and I go in for my appointment. My shoulders dropped, and my breathing slowed down when I got here. It’s been a tense week.

I went to bed thinking of a fun slice to write about toddlers and beads. But this morning, Elena woke us up at 5:20 AM, and I thought about writing a slice about the way she tried to open my eyes, and how she whispered, “Mama, it’s daytime now” even though the window showed us nothing but dark.

I sank my head into my pillow when Tim took her outside so I could “sleep a bit more,” and I thought about this slice of wanting to be in both places: out there with them, but also in here with myself.

I checked my phone and read Lainie’s call for slices. She wrote about the power of commenting and engaging with others instead of lurking, and I thought about the contrast between this community’s comment section and the darker, harmful comment threads on other social media platforms. I stay with my writing friends and their generosity with words. I let that joy sink into my pillow with me.

This challenge has done wonders for my writing habit, my craft, and my creativity, but mostly, it has reminded me that, gravitating toward goodness is a choice.

I sit here, watching people walk toward something. Keeping an eye on the time while I try to squeeze this slice, and also thinking about the celebrations of this weekend: my mom’s birthday today and Elena’s tomorrow.

It’ll be a great weekend.

Off to my appointment, now.

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Published by Ana Valentina Patton

I aim to be a learner, not a knower. If I forget, please remind me.

Published

23 thoughts on “Sitting Here”

  6. gravitating toward goodness is a choice…love this. There is so much good. That was my focus when I started writing here. I’ve tried to capture it in my Instagram this year. It is a choice. ❤️

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  7. “Gravitate toward goodness.” That shall be my mantra for the foreseeable future. I absolutely agree with the connection and warmth sustenance this amazing community grants in March. Goodness in action!

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  9. I love this whole post, but especially this — “gravitating toward goodness is a choice.” I just today signed up for a new weekly newsletter called “The Good List” by Melissa Kirsch of the NYT. It begins next week. Here’s a part of her description: “In a world of bests, good is a relief. Best invites an argument; good is just a suggestion: Here is this thing. I think you’ll probably like it. Good is generous: This is one good thing; others welcome. You want to spend time with good.”

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  10. I really loved this because it was such a specific point in time. You gave the reader a really great feeling of anticipation and unease (in a good way). I almost felt the contrast of your anxiousness of the appointment, but trying to move through the moment.

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  11. I never spend time reading comments elsewhere, but yesterday I saw a political post and noticed someone I knew had left a comment expressing her opinion in the most balanced way. The responses she got shocked me. Brutal. Offensive. Just awful. It’s just awful how it can be elsewhere and how uplifting it is here!

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  14. Parenting is a collection of those moments. It’s hard to aim for balance, enjoying the present, and fighting the guilt with enough grace. But I wouldn’t change it for any reason!❤️

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  17. I love how you describe that Saturday morning time that can be a mix of leisure and productivity. The generosity and kindness and encouragement in the comments, as well as the conversation that can emerge, is one of the best features of this writing community!

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  18. Ooh. How right you are. We also have the choice of which commenting section we spend our time in. Thank you for this reminder!

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  20. “Gravitating towards goodness is a choice,” is a powerful line that captivates this community. Your slice is the essence of making it all happen as a very busy person! It reminds me of correcting papers at baseball games as well writing a slice waiting for someone to come out of surgery! It makes us real.

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  21. I love this line, “I thought about this slice of wanting to be in both places: out there with them, but also in here with myself.” – I feel like I could write a whole post about the tug and pull of what we want to do for ourselves and being there for others. Glad you carved out a moment for yourself.

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  22. The community of writers that TWT and KLA have cultivated is unlike anything else. It makes me like this type of social media and wonder what the world could be like if we chose more of this good and less of the bad. Thanks for the reminder!

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