“Pearl Divers”

I wrote this story in July 2023, the day I stepped away from Tuonela Magazine and suddenly found myself overwhelmed by “grelief.” I was sitting in the sauna, crying and listening to Auri’s “Pearl Diving,” and thinking about what it means to form unexpected, life-giving friendships. This piece was inspired by my friend, Kathy Criswell, and it’s about daring to dive into friendship after you’ve been hurt a lot.