Author Archives: kamilastlove

Dreams are a funny thing. They inspire us, ignite a fire within us, illuminate all that is possible in this dark and dreary world. They cause us to lift our heads to the heavens in awe, in anticipation, and they cause us to put our heads down in elation as we excitedly work towards theContinue reading “February 14th”

My dad is one of my best friends. Everyday, he texts me, checking in to see how I’m doing, and everyday, he emails me the St. Louis Art Museum’s Object of the Day, oftentimes with a little message at the bottom that reads something along the lines of, “LOVE YOU: VERY PROUD OF YOU.” AsContinue reading “Someone Else’s Dream – For You”

Perhaps it’s ironic that I’m a Christian who hates giving grace, but perhaps that’s why I am one  – I suck at it and know I need all the help I can get.  Well, perhaps I don’t hate giving grace as much as I hate receiving it. After all, as someone who’s worked her wayContinue reading “Just Grace”

Maybe the fact that I wrote my entire college essay on why I was never going back to church means I have no credibility to guide others to church; maybe the fact that I now attend church religiously means my spirituality is unstable, like the river outside of town as opposed to the cornerstone ofContinue reading “What Do We Do with Church Hurt?”

How often do I just get to do this? Sit down in my school library, look out at the bright autumn leaves against a building that came straight out of a Gothic novel, and just be. No essays due at midnight, no tests the very next day, and nowhere to be, no one to tell.Continue reading “The Promised Land”

The words come quickly, in the night, you would think, but actually in broad daylight with family, friends, and loved ones abound. Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the fairest of them all? Obviously, it’s just a fairytale (my mirror NEVER said one thing to me, although I wish it emitted green glow-in-the-dark smoke),Continue reading “Mirror, Mirror”

Heart-rejuvenating, I take in my surroundings, mesmerized by the lush trees, ripples of wildflowers, and brilliant blue sky encompassing me in what looks like Sleeping Beauty’s woods, making me feel like I live in a fairytale where fairy godmothers, kings and queens, and adventure awaits at every corner instead of the nightmarish world that hasContinue reading ““Speak Now” (Kami’s Version)”

I can still see it all in my mind: golden fields rolling as far as the eye can see, wind in my hair, surprising me with such refreshing coolness in the middle of July, and deer running in and out of the brush, barely protruding antlers and spotted coats flashing before me only to disappearContinue reading “Roots”

As a recent Taylor Swift converter (is that the word?), I’ve spent my senior summer listening to as many of her songs as humanly possible, even getting sick just to make myself sit still long enough to watch her “folklore: long pond” sessions on Disney+. My fandom knows no boundaries, clearly. While my friends were,Continue reading “Longest T. Swift Sidebar”

For my high school graduation, I was blessed with the gift of delivering my class’ salutation. While this message was & is addressed to the Class of 2022, my prayer is that it inspires parents and students alike, serving as an encourager from the past, and for the students struggling in the younger grades toContinue reading “Home – Graduation Speech”