Unsolicited Existence by Alejandra Smits

Unsolicited Existence by Alejandra Smits

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Unsolicited Existence by Alejandra Smits
Unsolicited Existence by Alejandra Smits
A whole life is not a long time
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A whole life is not a long time

The peace patient people get to enjoy, the happiness we imagine for others, 5 years together, other people's projects, not remembering how he died, and double-bagging.

Alejandra Smits's avatar
Alejandra Smits
Jul 04, 2025
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I’m a double-bagger. And I’ve been one for a while. When I say double-bagging, this is what I mean:

The double-bagging practice began a few years ago, when I was pregnant and suffering from morning sickness (that would last for months) and horrific acid reflux. I began to suspect that one bag of herbal tea didn’t contain the concentration of active ingredients I needed to soothe my maladies. That’s when I had the idea: I can add two bags of peppermint tea! And so, the double-bagger in me was born. Nowadays, the tendency is to mix two or more herbal teabags. Why should I stick to just one when I can have two, three, or even four different flavors, ingredients, and healing properties?

Someone once saw my two teabags and said, “I see what you’re doing… So you’d be like that, huh?” I smiled and said, “There’s nothing I can do about it; it’s who I am, I’m this kind of person.” But I had no idea what that meant, let alone what kind of person I was/am.

Did that pair of teabags make a strong impression on that person? Whether it changed his notion of who I am or it pointed toward our so-called free will, we can use more than one teabag; there are things we can have, we just have to believe we can do it. Did I shake him in some way? Will he think about the infinite possibilities awaiting in front of him next time he puts the kettle on?

Why is it so hard to work on your own projects —the ones no one is asking you to bring to life?

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