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M. A. Miller's avatar

This is such a sharp, generous piece—funny on the surface and quietly bracing underneath. That shift from disappointed to misappointed feels like one of those linguistic turns that actually changes how you carry responsibility, especially in love-heavy relationships like parenting, friendship, and marriage. I kept thinking about how often we enthrone outcomes because they feel safer than surrender, and how much relief there is in realizing the pedestal was ours to dismantle. I’ve been circling similar questions about where we place meaning, authority, and hope—how easily we hand them to things that can’t bear the weight—and wrote about that here: https://theeternalnowmm.substack.com/p/seeing-clearly-lenses-history-and?r=71z4jh

. Thanks for offering a word that doesn’t scold grief, but gently reorders it.

Mark St A's avatar

The first thing I’ve read of yours. It’s really

Mark St A's avatar

Haha. I thought about leaving a message with a dangling orange of sorts just to be funny but then I unintentionally hit return. I meant to say “It’s a really nice read. Looking forward to more.” Have a great week.

Benjamin Hightower's avatar

I love this- your research combined with humor and sincerity is a tonic to read