On the day I found out my dad had a year to live, I was standing at work, typing away stupidly about something I can’t remember now. And in an instant, I was catapulted into a terrible grief I knew nothing about. Like a dark room I’d never entered, feeling my way around. Gemma called my boss, my colleagues, and my best friends. Ordering one to give me time off, to get coffee, and to buy moving boxes. In the apartment, I couldn’t even remember my own name. Gemma found my passport, called my sister and arranged a pick up, and booked my flight for the next morning. Early but not too early, because she said I needed sleep. How do I even begin to pack right now? Gemma told everyone what to do. She put on my favourite songs, Taylor Swift, whom she didn’t particularly care for, and made the executive decision to toss my near-empty shampoo bottles. We walked through a handful of outfits I’d need - certainly comfy ones - as Gemma proposed. And when I’d come back to collect my t...
Too mild, too careless, too careful, too caring, too honest, too drunk, too cold, too sensitive, too goofy, too serious, too clingy, too independent, too shy, too extravagant, too lazy, too high maintenance, too organized, too fearful, too reckless, too confrontational, too difficult, too bossy, too frugal, too indecisive, too smart, too dumb, too social, too sad, too much attitude, too fake, too chunky, too skinny, too many Instagram posts, too filtered, too outspoken, too religious, too healthy, too much. Just too much. For me? Too opinionated, too loud, too big of plans for my future, asks too many questions, says the same thing too many times. You will always be too something for someone. Even the people I love most in my life are too much of something. One time, me and this girl really weren't getting along and I called my other friends for backup; you know, seventh grade things, and they all told me, "Haleigh, you're being too dramatic," and that it was too muc...