Shaheen Khan
Stories (23)
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Bread, Stones, and Dreams: A Palestinian Childhood
The aroma of freshly baked bread was always the first thing that greeted Youssef every morning. His mother would wake long before dawn, quietly kneading dough in the pale glow of the kitchen light. Their home was small, the walls worn and cracked, but the bread filled it with warmth and a sense of fragile normalcy. For Youssef’s family, bread wasn’t just food — it was life, dignity, and hope.
By Shaheen Khan4 months ago in Criminal
Whispers of Olive Trees: A Palestinian Story of Hope
In the quiet village of Birzeit, ancient olive trees stood tall like watchful guardians of the land. Their twisted trunks and deep roots carried centuries of stories, passed from generation to generation. For Palestinians, the olive tree is more than just a plant—it is a symbol of identity, survival, and hope.
By Shaheen Khan4 months ago in Humans
Chasing the American Dream: What They Don’t Tell You
When my parents first decided to move to America, the idea sounded like something out of a movie. The “American Dream” was painted in our minds like a perfect picture: wide roads, tall buildings, endless opportunities, and the chance to live a life where hard work would be enough to guarantee success. At least, that’s what we thought.
By Shaheen Khan5 months ago in Motivation
I am Bexley – Chap 25: “Heavy”
The weight settled in my bones before I even stepped into the room. Heavy. It was suffocating and relentless, like gravity had increased overnight and sucked all breath from my lungs. I stared at the familiar cracked leather chair in my parents’ living room—one of the few constants in a world shifting faster than I could keep pace with.
By Shaheen Khan5 months ago in Motivation
She Sold Lemonade to Pay for Her Mom’s Surgery
It was the hottest summer New Jersey had seen in a long time. While most kids were enjoying popsicles and pool days, 10-year-old Alina stood on a quiet neighborhood corner under the scorching sun. In front of her sat a small wooden table, two pitchers of homemade lemonade, and a hand-drawn sign that read:
By Shaheen Khan5 months ago in Motivation
A Night That Changed My Life Forever
I never imagined that one night—just a few hours—could unravel the life I had spent years building. But pain has a way of breaking you open, forcing you to see things you were too comfortable to notice. Life doesn’t always whisper its lessons. Sometimes, it crashes in like a storm, uninvited and unforgiving.
By Shaheen Khan5 months ago in Motivation
From Homeless to Harvard
The cold January wind cut through the alleyways of Boston like a knife. Wrapped in a worn-out hoodie and clutching a tattered backpack, 17-year-old Lisa Monroe sat beneath a flickering streetlamp outside a 24-hour diner. Her stomach growled. Her fingers were numb. Her future? Uncertain.
By Shaheen Khan5 months ago in Motivation
Second Chance at 60
Frank Delaney always believed life was a series of fixed steps—go to school, get a job, start a family, and eventually retire. Born in 1965 and raised in the industrial neighborhoods of Cleveland, Ohio, Frank was shaped by traditional values. His father worked long hours at a steel plant, while his mother managed the home. "Work hard, stay quiet, and never complain," they said—and that’s exactly what Frank did.
By Shaheen Khan6 months ago in Motivation
A Mother’s Sacrifice
The alarm rang at 4:45 a.m., just like it did every day. In a small apartment in the Bronx, Maria Alvarez gently slid out of bed, careful not to wake her teenage son, Daniel, who was still curled up under a worn blanket. She moved like a shadow, quiet and steady, her every motion a rhythm she had memorized over the years.
By Shaheen Khan6 months ago in Motivation
The Girl Behind the Dumpster
It was a cold October evening in the center of Chicago's business district. The cool breeze carried the scent of roasted peanuts from the street carts and blended with the everyday symphony of city life—car horns blaring, snippets of conversation from passing pedestrians, and the occasional clang of a closing café door. Yet, tucked away behind a line of towering dumpsters near a bustling coffee shop, a hush lingered—and within that silence sat a girl.
By Shaheen Khan6 months ago in Art
New World
The sun had only just fallen below the jagged rim of the shattered skyline, sending long shadows spreading across the remains of what had been Manhattan. The buildings were high and still, vacant and battered by the passage of years. It was 2145, and the world was different.
By Shaheen Khan6 months ago in Horror
Behind the Dollar Store
Tucked away in a neglected corner of rural Alabama, behind an aging Dollar Store with a sputtering neon sign, lived a quiet teenager named Emily. She was invisible to most—no school accolades, no social media following, no shining moments. Just a girl clinging to more than survival, daring to dream in silence.
By Shaheen Khan6 months ago in Motivation
