Mother, we’ve been through this. I will return in the spring, I promise. It isn’t that long really. I know it feels so distant and that I seem to be half a world away, but I still think of you every day we’re apart. It’s just … I’m married. I have my own life to keep up with. I’m all grown-up now. I couldn’t stay with you forever, locked within your shadow. And I know you didn’t want me to, not really. I married up. I have my own title now, my own dominion. Deep down, I know I have your blessing. But I couldn’t even enjoy the festivities at my own wedding, knowing how despondent you were becoming. I scarcely touched the grand feast – I could barely manage to peck at a handful of pomegranate arils. My stomach was too tied up in knots with how distraught I knew you were. Seriously, you get like this every time I go. It makes it that much harder to leave. You really need to talk to someone, to try to find a way to work through the depression and seasonal affective disorder. I know that it won’t go away. That the hollow void in your heart aches when you can’t be with those you love. That you know only loss. It’s as if I died – you’ve said so yourself. But you simply must find a way to function through the separation. Take up a hobby. Adopt a kitten. Start jogging. Enjoy the beauty and majesty of the wild and wonderful world all around you. Just do something. Anything. Please. For both our sakes. I can’t keep having to put you back together every time. I’m starting to dread our visits. It makes it that much harder to return again.

Love, Persephone

[Multi-disciplinary mixed media conceptual artist Jennifer Weigel (she/her/they/them) lives in Kansas, USA. Weigel was previously a staff writer for Haunted MTL; she is now involved with Weird Wyrlds and serves on the Board of Nat 1 Publishing. Author of Witch Hayzelle’s Recipes for Disaster trilogy and a myriad short stories, poems, art discourse, and more drifting around the Interwebs.  Learn more on her website here. https://jenniferweigelart.com]