You are sitting in a humid kitchen feeling bad, say, and a cat comes in and starts freaking out because a petunia is stuck to its asshole.

There are moments that make life worth living. And you never know when they will happen, so you keep on going.

And there are the moments that break your heart, like a second of vulnerability crossing your kid’s face like a shadow when she is defying you as you yell at her about we had a deal about fingernail polish.

There are moments that make it clear you haven’t learned a goddamned thing in all this time.

My wisdom is being tested, and I’m flunking.