A list of things that could kill you.

You might enjoy the audio version above.

There are so many things that threaten to kill you in this world. So many things lurking, prowling, waiting for you to succumb.

There is the irresistible longing for all things sweet. The pastries and the meringues and the ice cream, and all the ways people play with sugar, make you crave it.

There is the cheese and the fat and the thick cuts of meat— the layers that they add to your heart, how they slow it down.

There are the cigarettes and the weed, the nicotine and the shisha and the clouds of smoke that fill your lungs, blur your mind.

There are the synthetic threads that black women link into their hair to protect them. Little cancer-bearing strands, woven more tightly than they think.

There are the cocktails and the vodka and the beer and the fizz and the drinking yourself to oblivion, to the very bottom of your memory.

There are the cuts and the falls and the scratches and the bangs, and the scars they leave you with.

And let’s not forget there are people too. Not just the ones who plan to, who you watch out for when you walk at night, who you hold your keys, your sprays, to guard against.

There are the others. The ones who break your heart, who let you down, who make you see just how mortal you are.

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What are you afraid of? What isn’t on the list? Let me know in the comments! I would love to discuss it with you!

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