Family
The Weirdest Things I’ve Googled as a Mom
Before I had kids, my Google search history was full of normal things like “cute coffee shops near me” or “how to get beach waves without heat.” Now? I’m one questionable diaper away from having the FBI show up at my door because my search history reads like a horror movie written by a toddler.
By The Arlee7 months ago in Confessions
What No One Tells You About Your Late 20s
When you’re in your early 20s, you think you’ve got all the time in the world. You’re living off iced coffee and vibes, convinced you’ll figure it all out eventually. And then suddenly, you blink and you’re about to turn 30, wondering how your back hurts from “just sleeping wrong.”
By The Arlee7 months ago in Confessions
My dog didn’t just fill the silence—he became my voice
There was a time in my life when silence wasn’t peaceful—it was painful. The kind of silence that gets into your bones. The kind that, after loss, after loneliness, after life, takes away those few voices that used to make you feel seen.
By Echoes of Life7 months ago in Confessions
The Clock Strikes Her Name
The old grandfather clock stood in the corner of the dimly lit parlor, its wooden case scarred by decades of neglect. It hadn’t worked for years—no one in the Hawthorne family had bothered to wind it since the accident. But tonight, as midnight approached, something stirred inside the ancient mechanism.
By ATTAULLAH SHAH7 months ago in Confessions
The Ones Who Never Learned to Numb
I’ve always admired people who can shut things off. The ones who can bury their emotions like they were never there. The ones who don't cry in public. The ones who can read the news and not flinch. The ones who can walk past a homeless man and not carry his story in their chest for the rest of the day.
By Prince Esien7 months ago in Confessions
I Took a DNA Test for Fun. What I Found Out Made Me Move Cities
I didn’t think twice when I ordered the DNA test. I wasn’t chasing some long-lost family mystery. I wasn’t adopted. I wasn’t even curious, really. It was just one of those impulsive decisions — like ordering sushi at midnight or downloading a sleep-tracking app I’d forget about in two days.
By Shoaib Afridi7 months ago in Confessions
I Am A Winner
Introduction I joined Vocal for the big prize money. That never happened. I have two challenge placements, an "honourable" mention, some Top Stories and a couple of Resource pieces, but Vocal and a lot of creators see me as a thorn in Vocal's side.
By Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred 7 months ago in Confessions
Why I Stopped Trying to Be ‘Enough’ and Finally Found Freedom
For most of my life, I was on a treadmill, running faster, pushing harder, and trying to be “enough.” Enough as a mom, enough as a friend, enough at work, enough in every single role I thought I had to play. I thought if I just did more, smiled brighter, looked better, and kept up appearances, I would finally feel satisfied. I thought I’d finally fill that deep, aching hole inside me that kept whispering I wasn’t good enough.
By The Arlee7 months ago in Confessions
Under the Moonlight of Memories
It was a quiet night, the kind where even the wind forgets to whisper. The moon hung high in the sky, casting a soft glow on the empty streets. Thomas sat alone on a wooden bench, his head bowed and hands clenched tightly. The world around him was asleep, but his mind was wide awake, racing with thoughts he couldn’t outrun. Regret had become his only companion.
By The Pen of Farooq 7 months ago in Confessions
