fact or fiction
Is it fact or merely fiction? Fact or Fiction explores the myths and beliefs we hold about our family dynamics, traditions, and if there's such thing as a 'perfect family.'
SURPRISE
It's the end of June 2006, I find myself flying into Chicago, Ill. In route to a very small town in Wisconsin 3 hours north to Princeton, Wisconsin to be exact. There's a celebration and if I know my older sister, it's going to be huge~ it always is. And this means her baby will be off on her own, college life, my Goddaughter & niece MJ~ "Magpie" has graduated High School and this will come as some surprise as I love surprising people, it does make life much more interesting.
By dees Hintz5 years ago in Families
Learning from Life, Part 1. Background.
Life for me has always felt more like a burden than a blessing, my family believes in curses, we believe that the actions our ancestors chose fell upon us in our lifetime. My family believes I am cursed, destined for a life of pain, of anger, and of heartbreak. I believe all it takes to break it, is to break the cycle.
By Victoria Bryan5 years ago in Families
Peapod
One day when I was washing up in the kitchen I noticed that the bin was full. After I had dried my hands I pulled the black sack out of the bin and tied the top in a knot just loose enough for me to be able to hook my fingers through to carry it. Pulling the front door closed behind me I made my way to the outside bin area. I lifted the big communal bin lid with my left hand and was about to swing the bin bag into it with my right hand when something furry and thin wrapped around my right wrist. I jumped back, letting go of the bin lid which slammed open backwards on its hinge. I also dropped the bin bag. Whatever had gripped my wrist slithered out of the bin bag and was still hanging there. I looked at it with horror and tried to shake it off but its grip was iron tight. It didn’t have a body as such, just a long, grey, furry ‘pea-pod’ with these thin but strong tendrils curling about around it.
By Julie Murrow5 years ago in Families
Speak now, or Forever Hold your Peace!
A young lady moved into her own apartment at 13, paid her own rent and went to school while caring for a sibling. She lived very discreetly so as to not bring unnecessary attention to her life. Her mother thought it would be best if she moved back home since she could pay her own rent.
By Aries Prestige5 years ago in Families
The ties that bind
My grandad was the apple of my eye. He spoiled me, I wasn't his only grandchild but I sure was his favorite. He took me everywhere with him, fishing, golfing, you name it I was Granddaddy's baby and whatever I wanted I got. But my grandmother on the other hand couldn't stand me and I always figured it was because her and my mother could never get along and I reminded her of her. She was cold towards me. She never hugged me, she forced a smile whenever I came over and tensed up whenever I hugged her. I loved her but felt she never loved me. My mom would always say "Oh she's just old and mean baby" so I took it as that. A few months ago my granddaddy died. I took it really hard and after my grandmother became even more cold. I went to see her one day and finally asked her why she didn't love me like she loved her other grandkids. Her reply was "I hate your father for what he did to your mother and I hate your mother for having you!" I couldn't believe what I was hearing! Crying and full of hurt I left. The next time I saw my grandmother was at the reading of my grandfathers will. The lawyer read " I Randy Lawson leave all of my worldly possessions, money, and land to my beautiful baby girl, my daughter Leah Lawson...What was I hearing??! MY name is Leah Lawson...
By NyQuisha Randle 5 years ago in Families
Netflix Can Be Dangerous for Kids - Here is how
I started watching Mad Men on Netflix, being a social smoker, I don’t keep cigarettes with me, so I borrowed a few from my roommate. Next morning I was buying groceries when my eye caught the attention of the cigarette section behind the counter. It instantly reminded me of Don Draper smoke so much and so elegantly, without thinking I purchased the packet. Lighting up the cigarette I felt like Draper, successful, smart and rich. And I’m an adult, almost 10 years over the smoking age limit but the way Draper smokes got me hooked. Watching the series I had started chain smoking without even realizing what I was doing.
By Abbey Wackrow5 years ago in Families
She's Just a Girl
“I’m sorry, mom”, these words seem to come out often. I don’t know if it was me being a horrible daughter, or her wanting someone perfect. I was a first-born, and it has been hard. I have three younger brothers, and they seem perfect enough for her. Nothing i did was ever good enough, or up to her standards. I had good grades, I was smart. I did everything she asked. I was polite, unlike my brothers, "please" and "thank you" were a huge part of my vocabulary. I never spoke out of respect. I just never understood. My brothers were rude to everyone, did what they wanted, maybe...just maybe if I was more like them, she would like me.
By Paula Horgash5 years ago in Families
The Maiden Voyage
You’ve gotta be careful. My mother says there are a lot of ways to make someone come out a Bad Egg. For example: giving birth on a bed. You have to be squatting, she says. And the head has to come out first. Josef Mengele was born feet first and instead of pushing him around the other way they just yanked him out by his feet, which made him have a deformed arm and then he became a Nazi. That’s what my mother says. Now that I am having a baby I am very grateful to have my mother around again. She has had six other babies not including me so she knows what to do. She helps all of the other women in the house with their deliveries. Sometimes I get to help too. I get to stand by the women while they are in labor. I wipe their foreheads with hot towels and hold their hands when the contractions come. Some of these women have quite a grip, my mother says. You’ve gotta be careful. They can almost break a finger. Today I learned to cut the umbilical cord. Today is when my baby brother was born. I used a pair of shiny silver scissors bigger than both of my hands.
By Leah Folpe5 years ago in Families
Short Story
Not everyone is meant for you, not everything is for you and sometimes even if you are not for yourself. Not when you feel the world on your shoulders. I knew who you were, but even at five I couldn’t touch you, I couldn’t be with you like I wanted. Unaware of the reasons why, oblivious of what you were to me. I was filled with ecstasy when you rang the house phone, I told her that you were trapped inside, and we needed to rescue you. How naïve was I? You laughed and said you missed me, I didn’t understand. And why would I when I was so young? When all my questions were greeted with the words “Your brain won’t understand adult stuff” and with that I was silenced.
By Rosaria Mulenga5 years ago in Families
BELIEVE IT OR NOT
BELIEVE IT OR NOT I have 1/3 Spanish, 1/3 Chinese and ½ Malay in my blood and I grew up in a household riddled with superstitions and ancient beliefs. As it is very well known, the Philippines had been occupied by the Spanish Conquistadores for almost 350 years and merchant trading brought Chinese into the islands of the Philippines. These migrations have enriched our customs and traditions and no matter what colour or ethnicity one may belong to, I have observed that there will always be some sort of interknitting of customs, beliefs and traditions of these cultures,….. superstitions, no exception. For example, if one broke a glass or anything breakable, one needed to break another piece of breakable item meaning that the breakage had been paired,(it was believed that bad luck come in twos) if this was not done, it is bad luck and the next breakage would be an accident of the one who broke it or someone close might encounter an accident or bad luck. Another one is the building of stairs in an Asian especially a Filipino home. I have to mention this because Feng Shui is the norm in Chinese home and is beginning to be adapted by Filipinos with Chinese ancestry. Oro, Plata, Mata which are Spanish words, translated to Gold, Silver, Death. The builder must ensure that the last step of the staircase wouldn’t be mata or death. If it ends in oro or Plata, which is gold or silver, this will attract wealth. Still another popular belief is the spilling of salt which is an omen of evil misfortune and this action can be counteracted by taking a pinch and throwing over your left shoulder where evil is standing behind waiting for open entry to come in. The thrown salt will blind the devil and will be powerless. I have to emphasize that I have consider these beliefs funny and never really affected by it and just ignored it.
By Nilda Juliana Johnston5 years ago in Families
Diary of a broken girl
Dear Diary, Today seemed so normal for the most part. I didn’t wake up sad or angry which was odd but oh well. I got dressed ate breakfast and went to school. Oh by the way if you’re reading this my name is... We’ll leave my name out for a while until I’m ready to truly introduce myself.
By Crystal Straker5 years ago in Families
