Sean Houston
Bio
Stories (4/0)
Coming Home
"You can always find me here, where the air is warm, where you can hear the crickets chirp, and I'm here holding your hand." Where was that though? I know we were driving there, it was a place you grew up. I remember the windows were down, and the wind was flowing through your hair and it was lightly caressing my face. You were looking in the mirror, readjusting it, even though it was only you and me. There was a horizon that looked like a painting, and it was perfect, and it still was you that I focused on. We sat under a pear tree, with the light of the sunset filtering in through the branches, and we sat there until the twilight. A soft sound near us made you turn your head, a deer slowing from a gallop to a curious walk to eat a pear on the ground. It noticed our scent, but we were so calm it didn't do anything. And it's like I'm reaching after you, back in that moment, saying those words, and it's always out of reach. I want to go there again, but something keeps me from going, something I was supposed to do.
By Sean Houston3 years ago in Humans
Pursue Your Purpose
It is my belief that every person has a purpose in life, and that it is important for everyone to discover this purpose, and to attempt to reach our highest potential in life. I believe we all have unique gifts, and by sharing them with the world we lead more fulfilling lives, and by leading more fulfilling lives we create a domino effect of positive change in the world. It's important to recognize that this isn't an exaggeration, we can truly impact those around us in deeply meaningful ways, and by extension impact the people that are around the people around us and that this continues to ripple out into the world. I think it's safe to say that like a lot of people, I've spent my entire life pursuing my purpose in life. However, also like a lot of people, that pursuit became a secondary goal as I became bogged down by life's adversities: having my heart broken (again and again), struggling to keep the lights on in my first efficiency apartment, coping with depression, gleaning satisfaction out of working menial jobs for arbitrary figureheads, and wondering all the while if this was it for me. But I also believe it is when we are working through our struggles, that we can do genuine soul searching. My search led me to the conclusion that I love helping others, and that I simply love words. I love words so much I decided to try and use them as a way of helping others, while also giving myself fulfillment, and making a bid to be an author.
By Sean Houston3 years ago in Motivation
The Perfect Pairing
"The only thing left for us, is entropy." These are the last words you said to me, Olivia. You broke it off over text, which is something neither of us understood how people could do that. As if relationships meant so little they could be ended without being face to face. Neither of us could have known until then a relationship could also mean too much to be done in person. I'd try contacting you. I knew you hadn't blocked me, and that you wanted that channel open in case of an emergency. Except I didn't leave it open for emergencies, I filled it with generic pleasantries that barely disguised the pangs I had had for you. I missed you, I missed your son. You always thought of him as a burden, a step I wasn't ready for, but I loved him as I loved you. You hadn't known a man with that much space in his heart up to that point, and everything you experienced taught you not to trust it. I stopped messaging you, following the advice of a relationship coach. I was desperate, and willing to try everything in my power to be back with you. I know there are a lot of people out to make a profit by preying on the broken-hearted ones that can't accept a relationship is over, but the coach I found was nice. She was brunette, and her voice was calming, like yours, Olivia. It was always in the back of my mind that all the goal chasing, working out, and various miscellaneous self-improvement she coached me through was designed to increase my dopamine to the point that I either attracted you back, or had the more likely outcome of being able to accept the end of the relationship. There was an ultimatum, if I hadn't heard from you after no contact and improving, then it was time to move on. Except, I couldn't improve. I decayed, as you anticipated.
By Sean Houston3 years ago in Humans
Before You Go I Love You
The saline enters my veins, and its cooling effect assures me the plasma donation is finished. I'm still on five cycles to complete the process, but getting closer to only needing four. A phlebotomist looks over to me. “Are you doing okay?” I nod and give her a thumbs up. One of the on-staff physicians, Katie, is disconnecting me. “You need to drink more water, Sean," she says as a playful scold. "Your next available donation date is the sixteenth."
By Sean Houston3 years ago in Families