Queer Baobab Reading Corner: Aristotle and Dant

DeNiM
Cover of novel, “Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World” by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

I’m escaping this period of my life through fiction, and the following quotes hit hard:

The world I wanted to live in didn’t exist. And I was struggling to love the world I did live in. I wondered if I was strong enough or good enough to love a world that hated me.

The world would go on without us in it. Finally, the world would get what it wanted.

This quiet novel is stirring a lot of thoughts and feelings. Not pleasant ones: sadness, envy, longing.

Rage, bitterness, and resentment.

And hate. So much hate. Such a profound hate. For her. For the choices she made. Her carelessness. Her callousness. Her lack of self-awareness.

She set me up to fail because I’ve never experienced genuine love and acceptance. Not without a variety of ulterior motives that left me where I am now.

The person human society said was gonna love and nourish and nurture me did not.

So now, here I am, having to teach myself that what she did doesn’t mean I’m fucked up beyond all recognition. That I am valid. That I can dream of happiness, family, community, home.

Home.

I know what it feels like, but I don’t know that I’ll ever experience it… except through fiction, I guess.

Best get back to it before I start to spiral and allow the sadness to drown the hopeful embers that refuse to die.

Published by DeNiM

Illegal, illicit, and in violation of all your controls. 🌈 ⚧♾️ #quietbpd #fuckallthesupremacies Like what you've read? Show your appreciation and buy DeNiM a ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/queerbaobab

5 thoughts on “Queer Baobab Reading Corner: Aristotle and Dant”

      1. People are different but when I am low I actually like to get content that’s more triggering and endorsing the feelings I am feeling and it makes me feel better…even made a note to get this book you are reading now. It also helps for me to blame it all on the universe lol, not me, not others, just fuckin life suckin like fuckin hell.
        Whatever helps you in this moment, whether it’s perceived as positive or not, if it helps you overall, then do it. These moments do pass, and when we feel better we can see silliness in some of our thoughts back then but we will just laugh because as silly and mean as the thoughts might have been, they did help in the moment of pain.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Yeah, I don’t try to make myself feel better or all positive. I allow myself to wallow and go deep. They’re my emotions. I get to experience them. Not wrong or right. They simply are.

        If I can’t write stories, I can at least find the ones written by queer earthlings like myself. Feel less invisible.

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