PLEASE, FORGIVE ME, IT’S MY FIRST TIME ON EARTH I am still learning how to be alive– how to allow my heart to leave my sight, to attend school, to grow up. I cannot comprehend the arguments used to bomb the lungs of children, to leach the Earth of her marrow, to ban books about love. Some days, I am paralyzed by grief. There appear to be pages missing from my manual. Perhaps I was improperly configured when they installed my software. I do what I can. I am asking the experts. I am Googling for answers. I am trying my best. Please forgive me, it’s my first time on Earth.