Intertribal Life Newspaper -

I sit on my bunk, lights off, tears flowing uncontrollably. My mind races back and forth, making it next to impossible to focus on a single thought. Loneliness smothers me from neck to toes, my head just above it.

I’ve been like this for a few weeks. It’s become normal for me this time of year. I’m exhausted. Tired. Sore.

The last two months of the year weigh heavily on me. The heaviness becomes cold as steel. My emotions cramp. My faith has shortness of breath.

Year after year I exhort myself not to fall into the seat of my end-of-year emotional roller coaster ride. But without fail, my emoti...