“In order to be the change, and be fully available for intimacy you have to be clear of all that stuff that keeps you guarded…from other people.”

– Unknown

“The Americans, Memorial Day, 2019”

Fiction. Based on a True Experience.

By Christopher Penn

This journal entry is inspired by true events. Some of the characters, names, businesses, incidents, and certain locations and events have been fictionalized for dramatic purposes. Any similarity to the name, character, or history of any person is entirely coincidental and unintentional.

Trigger Warning: our program often motivates people to discuss their trauma. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, please, take a step back to address emotional flashbacks and trauma before continuing to push yourself. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or the National Suicide Hotline at (1-800) 273-8255.

They don’t speak a language I know but
I understand what they’re saying.
They speak experiences instead of words, ideas.
They speak with bodies and eyes studying groceries.
With thick work polos.
With four young friends crammed in a car
designed for two, idling
on the summer pavement, enjoying
ice-cream snacks and air conditioning.