131 Comments
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John E. Canuck's avatar

You had me until " celebrate the shredded wheat squares that I ate for breakfast."

As if, somehow, " take care " was reduced to that primal need ( desire? ).

Do take care. In the fullest and widest possible meaning :)

Frank Sauce's avatar

I use “take care” almost always, to redefine a world where we care for everything and everyone earnestly, with attention and love, and to also note we are careless with life and death, when we are selfless or self-full.

Michael Frank Rhoderick's avatar

I have been saying "Take care" to people (and other than people!) for as long as I can remember. Sometimes it has felt a little more habitual than genuine. Upon reflecting, maybe my tombstone will read Born: 1950

Died 200?

TOOK CARE

Julie Cajune's avatar

Thank you for those words. I needed them this week. Lost a lifelong friend

Much gratitude for the healing power of words and those who write them.

Sherman Alexie's avatar

My condolences, Julie. We are moving into our elder years and we are losing more and more friends and family. So much grief.

Glenn Ingersoll's avatar

I had shredded wheat biscuits for breakfast this morning.

Karen's avatar

Have to say I always say that at the end of a call

Sherman Alexie's avatar

It's a good way to sign off.

Maureen Melle's avatar

I’ve enjoyed everything that I’ve read that you’ve written. Thankyou. Please take care.

Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thank you, Maureen.

David Watkins's avatar

Yes, "take care" is one of my favorite farewells.

Ken, or Kenny Genku Erickson's avatar

This worked with the pancakes and coffee in the trailer and quite well for reals. Thanks!

Sherman Alexie's avatar

Pancakes sound great!

Betsy Fisher's avatar

Just what I needed this morning... I have been thinking about "story" and "story-telling" as the good glue between us all.. needed now more than ever. And that phrase - Take Care. I use it so often and hadn't really thought about it... but this might well be what I mean. Thanks, Sherman.

Sherman Alexie's avatar

Thanks, Betsy. Your post got me thinking about the stories that bees tell to guide their hibe to good pollen sources!

Barb Bernhardt's avatar

will look at the grains in my buckwheat porridge with more love than usual today. Thank you for another beautiful moment

Terry Morris's avatar

I’m sure there’s a name for this type of sentence

the edge of tender and tender of edge. I love this kind of writing.

Martin Haberland's avatar

Thank you for the piece.

It inspired me to take care and notice (and appreciate) the changing colors of the leaves outside my office window.

Wil Dalton's avatar

Oh wow. I really loved how you changed form midway here, it emphasized the latter half in a fun and engaging way. Bravo!

Sherman Alexie's avatar

The form is a very loose version of a haibun. Thanks, Wil.

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/education/glossary/haibun

Rachel Hutcheson's avatar

Wonderful!