We Were Invincible.

• Lori Palminteri
• Uncategorized
• April 19, 2020

We were invincible children with toothpick arms and legs, ducking under waves taller than us, dropping in on peaks with smiles on our faces as we wiped out on shore.

We were invincible climbing trees, riding bikes and jumping off swings as high as we could, scraped knees cleaned and cartoon band-aids from Mom, also invincible.

We were invincible in our games, gods of barbies, toy dinosaurs, cars and stuffed animals, pushing our imaginations to stories so ridiculous and beyond sense at all.

We were invincible under the moon, toasting marshmallows over a Halloween orange fire, because our Dad told us a joke we giggled at, and he was invincible too.

We were invincible teenagers, who drank until we threw up, laughing all evening and laughing in the morning despite handsome hangovers.

We were invincible almost adults, stoned, in the woods, cackling in hysterics so hard we spooked the birds out of the trees, flying away almost higher than we were.

We were invincible when we discovered the art of prose, fiction or non-fiction, fiction inspired by non-fiction, non-fiction inspired by fiction, until it didn’t matter where the truth ended or where it began, as long as the story flows.

We were invincible when we discovered that doing stand-up wasn’t impossible, just really hard, and the sugar high of eliciting the non-voluntary reaction of laughter solidified this.

We were invincible in the aftermath of applause, looking into the eyes of people who once taught us and now they’re a peer—mentors and friends, creative collaborators.

We were invincible, shouting from the tops of massive waterfalls in what should be a mystical place of Norse mythology, with terrain from steaming volcanoes to glacier lagoons, a gorgeous island fit for Odin.

We were invincible, tripping in a park or on the beach, clouds dancing to our heartbeats, sweat drops falling on our shoulders, connected to and loved by the universe.

We were invincible, naked in the sheets, kissing like we first discovered it, hands on soft skin, hands through hair, linked arms, linked legs.

We were invincible when we smiled. We were invincible when we drank. We were invincible when we performed. We were invincible when we made love. We were invincible when we jumped off cliffs. We were invincible when we splashed in the waves. We were invincible when we looked to the cosmos, shooting stars passing by from a shower and wished and wished we would be happy forever.

We were invincible.

But.

Then again.

We were never invincible.

We knew this. We knew the ocean could drown us. We knew jumps could hurt us. We knew performing could embarrass us. We knew making love could break our hearts. We knew climbs had falls. We knew passions could break us. We knew drugs had side effects. We knew consequences were waiting. We knew we could and likely would hurt physically and emotionally. We knew we were mortal. We knew. And that’s what made it tremendous. That’s what made it special. To feel like we weren’t.