CORNBREAD: An Exercise in Control (and Courage)

PART ONE

Is the story of our life ours alone? Are we ever fully in control?

Maybe not.

But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try and say otherwise.

—

Coming to you live from the Wild, Wild West.

From the miles of freeway and miniature universes of Studio City to the sheer number of newly minted cosmetic procedures and beauty products sitting unopened in Beverly Hills…

Los Angeles is unnatural in every sense of the word. Some might even go so far as to call it “fake”.

But this is not about my perception of the place. I’m just disclosing some mixed feelings on the matter.

For me, being in LA brings up questions about the nature of control. It urges me to analyze certain aspects of my personal narrative, because the truth is this: some life stories get written for you.

My mom is from LA, and her sister and her family still live here. I’ve visited on and off my entire life. Yet, I never actually got to know the city on my own terms. My time was spent almost entirely with family.

Nothing wrong with that. Just… funny given my current state of travel affairs to realize that I’ve been somewhere over a dozen times and still have no idea what the hell is going on.

This time around, I made an effort to set out on my own. I‘ve seen some old friends. Hit some new breweries. But! I’m still here for a family event, and my time is dedicated to them — time which I value deeply.

The crux of the matter is that the chapter of my life titled “Maggie in Los Angeles” has been largely written by family. They are the influence that structures my time here, and I accept this. I am perfectly content with making little edits and adding anecdotes when and where I can.

So yes, some stories get written for you — and that’s life. It takes courage (and sanity) to acknowledge that not everything is within your control. It’s healthy.

It’s okay!

—

There are also times when it’s not.

There are times when you realize that a part of your story has been ruthlessly commandeered. (By a bad writer, nonetheless.)

Know what that means?

It’s time to take up the pen.

To take back control.

Cornbread.

PART TWO, NEXT WEEK