my favorite invention is my mother. she believes in angels the way some people believe in gravity — the fall didn’t kill her. she believes in second chances, too, which arrive disguised as another morning, another cup of tea, another breath. my mother has a faith she leaves space for miracles on crowded days. she talks to god like he’s a neighbor who forgets to knock but means well. when the world teaches me to harden, she teaches me to be soft to look twice, to forgive without holding it against anyone or without needing an apology first. she says angels don’t always have wings — sometimes they have tired eyes, sometimes they cook dinner, sometimes they keep going and still find a way to be gentle. if second chances are real, it’s because she made them believable. if angels exist, it’s because she lives and decided to be one anyway. my favorite invention is my mother, because every time i fall apart, she proves that mercy can be built by hand and if second chances are real, it’s because she kept offering them. --Readwithshifa🌻