11 Comments
User's avatar
Kate MacVean's avatar

I love this: how you were able to reframe by writing in the third person (storying!) and giving yourself permission to speculate. Thank you for getting intimate and sharing. And also, I love the concept of relationship anarchy. Of course that should be a thing!

Nicole Breit's avatar

Awwww, thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts, Kate! I love relationship anarchy, too. I’m a relationship nerd 🧐 Why shouldn’t we bring creativity and desire to everything we build, including connections?

Petra Lina Orloff's avatar

Since I began reading your work, my views and definitions of self-photography (selfies) has completely changed.

Mridula Morgan's avatar

There’s such a tenderness and vulnerability in this piece. One of my favourite lines is “I never get to be the little spoon”. It evokes comfort, protection, and, in a more literal sense, nourishment 💚

Nicole Breit's avatar

Thank you, Mridula, for reading and for your thoughtful response. ❤️ I didn’t realize what more the spooning could evoke but it gets to the heart of losing the comfort, safety/protection and nourishment I felt. Thank you so much for sharing your attentive reading!

Joey's avatar

I love reading your work! the emotional power you bake into them is so!!!!

Sharon D. West's avatar

I like the honesty of this. Thank you for sharing it. The term "story ing" is perfect. I've had to do that myself over the years to help process the big feelings.

Reba G's avatar

Your piece, Nicole, is an invitation into a life that lives deeply. It is the gentle, sensuous moments embraced and lived that makes the losses so poignant. I certainly leave your story possessing much… storying, Snake Season, a consideration of what my memories might lack and need and several why nots!-“big emotions”/”Main Character Energy.” Thank you.

Danette Adams's avatar

What a raw and fiercely real piece, Nicole! I can only imagine you may have a "vulnerability hangover" (Brene Brown) after posting. The power of imaginging, re-imagining, pershapsing, and storying is floating in my mind like a waking dream asking me to engage where I might be well-served to get naked more often! My favourite line was "what do you see now that you couldn't see before?". Thank you for sharing!

Nicole Breit's avatar

The vulnerability hangover is real, Danette. My nervous system is definitely talking back. And yes, let’s get naked in the storying sense! You are already doing this work so beautifully and there is always more on the journey. Thank you for your kindness and support, always. Love love 💕