Gratitude

FOR POSSIBILITY - The ENT doctor with his curly grey hair and grey eyes looks at me with tenderness. His face mask is shaped like a duck bill, which makes this moment more endearing. “Do you have people that care about you in Pittsburgh?” He asks knowing I’m an immigrant. “I do.” I say.

FOR ALL THE HANDS THAT HELP ME - “I’m fine, mamma” I say as tears flow over my chin and collect on my woolen turtleneck. My mom takes a breath on the other side of the phone, on the other side of the world. “Sometimes we need to be honest, Hanna. You are not fine.”