spells of survival

spells of survival

The Ground Kept Widening Beneath Me

On certainty, reality, and turning fifty

Isabel Abbott's avatar
Isabel Abbott
Jun 03, 2026
∙ Paid
SARAH DELANEY - History of Here, 2021

The summer I turn fifty, I find myself saying three words more often than I ever have before: I don’t know. The words arrive clear and without effort. They leave my mouth easily, almost with relief. Sometimes they are the truest thing I have to offer. This would have unsettled earlier versions of me, not because I im…

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