humanity

Humanity begins at home.

Sylvie and I
It was summer when it happened. Looking back, I can still feel the soft warm breeze caressing my face and running through my hair giving it that tousled messy look. As the sun set on that seemingly uneventful day, I packed up my picnic, took one last look at the sun setting over the park and walked home, blissfully aware of the fact that I looked a mess and smelled of sweet sweat and fresh grass. I normally didn’t stop to check my mail very often, but I was waiting on a delivery for a new book I’d ordered, I was running out of things to read, which was alarming to me considering that’s all I really did. I opened the mailbox to see an oddly wrapped bundle sitting there. To be honest, I was a little scared to open it and almost just left it.. But curiosity won out over my fears as I quickly unwrapped the strange gift. I must admit I was a little disappointed when all I saw was a normal little black notebook. More confused than ever I opened it, hoping to get more insight on what this was all about, and my confusion heightened as I saw what looked like a plane ticket poking out from between the pages, as if someone had used it for a bookmark. Pulling it out, my heart stopped as I read my name on a ticket for a flight scheduled a week from now, to... oh no, this has to be a joke.. Who on earth could have known about France?! Not just France but Provence.. the place I had read books and I mean book (s) about ever since I was a kid. Ever since I can remember I’d dreamed of wandering around in the lavender fields of Sault or driving through the winding hills of the Valensole plateau but I was sure I’d only spoken about it to family, and the very few friends I had.. who could have known.. or cared enough about this to buy me a plane ticket all these years later.. I flipped through the pages desperately trying to find an explanation to this insane gift, but found nothing.. “I can’t go, there’s just no way, this has to be fake” but even as the words left my lips I was already drifting off into visions of me sipping coffee by the water in Saint-Tropez. I was brought back to reality by my phone ringing from the other room. Sighing, I set the ticket down and went to answer the call. An hour later I was back sitting at the table once again in a state of shock, only this time it was most definitely the bad kind. The call was from my mother, letting me know that my aunt Sylvie had died. I supposed you could say she and I were close. We hadn’t talked in a while, but I spent a lot of time at her house as a kid. People used to tell me that I reminded them of her, I never really knew how to respond to that because Sylvie was known to be..quite the character. But still, she was kind to me and the older I got the more I did start to see parts of her in me. The way she saw the world, her love of the mysterious, it made sense to me why people had made those comments. I mean.. we even started to look a bit alike as I got older. Now she’s gone and her funeral was set for the following week, the very same day as my supposed flight to France.. oh well, “there’s no way I could have gone anyways”...
By Emma garner 5 years ago in Families
The Book of Apologies
The moment she answered the door, Tanya's indignation turned her pouty lips inward despite doe eyes betraying compassion. “You missed the funeral.”
By Kristin Hancock5 years ago in Families
Where there is love.
Light, then darkness. Smell of blood, green shirts, metal tools. Andy’s gaze on mine, the lower part of his face hidden underneath a green mask matching his hospital gown. One last push; my whole body burning, stretching, aching, crying. I heard the sound as it came down from me, plop, then mustering my last strength I straightened my upper body barely enough, touching the sticky, hairy head with one trembling hand. « It's a girl! », they told me, while laying her against me. My eyes filled with tears and sweat. Wind was banging against the window panes, the fiery dawn light piercing through the glass, touching the bloody head now resting on my breast. Andy leaned towards us, his lips pressed on my forehead, then his broad hand landed on the small body. I could feel the warm flow of blood flowing from inside my thighs when they told me « The placenta has been delivered ». I already knew that, being a midwife. But for that time only, I was the patient.
By Maude Vézina5 years ago in Families
Argentina
My expectations? Shattered. My dreams? Deflated. My heart and soul? Finally full. Let me explain. I’m Argentina. A few months ago, my father passed away to no one’s surprise. He never really took care of himself, but after several stints with homelessness and addiction, who could blame him? My other family members had cut ties with him so long ago that I was one of the only people who even knew, or cared, about his death. I mean, he named me when I was born. “Argentina”, I always guessed, was his pick because it was his favorite place he ever traveled. I was a total “Daddy’s Girl”. I could never stay mad at him even though he was never the best father.
By Alayna Cate5 years ago in Families
THE GIFT
Once upon a time, there was an old man who would take a long bus ride every day to feed the birds in the park. Mr. Wilson was about 85 years old, his beloved wife Lisa passed away 10 years ago. His only son Thomas, who loves him dearly unfortunately lives in another state. Many years would pass, feeling somewhat alone in his big old house, missing his beloved wife Lisa. Poor Mr. Wilson's memory was failing over the last several years, so he would write in his little black notebook all the beautiful memories of life with Lisa. Mr. Wilson always kept his black notebook in his front jacket pocket next to his heart. When he was at home the little black notebook would be right next to his wife's picture on the bed stand.
By Kevin Wesley Goodson5 years ago in Families
Semicolon savior III
“Thanks for all your help, the food was great,” I kept reading the note over and over. What exactly did I help with? I mean we didn’t charge him for the extra olives, could that be it? I gently scolded him as a mother would about exposing that much money in public, possibly. I just couldn’t grasp the compliment. His signature was also just initials and in a script I had never seen. While sitting on one of our outside tables, Robert pulled up into the loading zone and was beginning to get stuff out of his hatchback. “Good morning Victoria, beautiful one.” As I took a sip of coffee I put the note down and offered him a hand. We still had 20 minutes before officially opening and I cherished these quiet morning moments. The sun was rising over the courtyard a beautiful red orange and the birds had just began to chirp. “These canvases are huge!” I exclaimed with a giggle gently leaning over as I put it down. I noticed these paintings were going to be set in a desert of someplace. The rocks and individuals sandal shoes looked like they were photographed, not painted. “You are extremely talented Robert” It must have taken years of practice. As he popped up from his trunk, he smiled and gently said “All we have is now Victoria, the time is now.” I smiled and glanced at my phone checking the time. “Looks like I should get the rest of the coffee on, hope today is fantastic for you.” As I collected my cup and things from the table, I noticed the note had fallen. “Let me get that for you” Robert said as he bent down to grab the napkin off the bricked sidewalk. My hands were full, as they normally were, for I was the type of person to only make one trip. Grabbing the door was also out of the question. “You got coffee on, I may as well grab a cup while I’m in here” Robert said simultaneously opening the cafe door. “Sure do, and thank you, just set that over here on the counter.” As I put my stuff down in the back I could see Robert was glancing at the napkin. “Would you like a medium cup today?” I asked a little louder than normal. “Oh, sorry bout that Victoria, didn’t mean to be nosy” he said as he folded up the napkin in a hurried crumble. “No worries, it’s not personal, just a compliment from a customer yesterday” I replied while pumping from the air pot. “Well it’s not everyday you see hand written Aramaic, I was kind of taken aback.” I paused and thought to myself, he knows the language! “Can you read who signed it?” As I turned around to put the coffee lid securely on Robert just winked “Heck I’m fluent in it.”
By Healthy mountain gal Crystal5 years ago in Families
Ishtar's Gift
Normally the competing screeches and squawks of the exotic bird exhibit would excite Julie, but today was turning into a very bad day, and the cacophony was giving her a headache.
By Nicholas Beishline5 years ago in Families
The Squirrel Nest
“Don’t just stand there. Up you go. It’s yours!” Sherrie stood at the wooden steps in front of her new house, both excited and fearful of the next chapter in her life. “I’m afraid it’ll come crashing down. It’s too surreal.”
By Johnny Walker5 years ago in Families
From My Youth
I did not think that I would dare see something this spectacular, but I did! I remember a lot from my youth, but one of them was a special event that stays in my heart. It was a light show event at a theme park, found in “Six Flags Fiesta Texas.” My family and I were there watching all the fireworks displays, and I remember that I saw the event with many families. They were enjoying the fireworks with their family's like us. Who knew? That Texas was full of flowers, places, rivers, and many, many, many friendly people. It was a great time and place to raise a family. It was the nineteen-nineties, and I was from the home state of Texas. I came from a humble background, a Hispanic family, who grew up, in the heart of Texas. I am fourth generation, I am the youngest in the family, who has a very imaginative, creative, and artistic mind, and has a lot of energy to run around and jump. I was labeled the Mexican jumping bean. You’d never think I was going anywhere in life though. I was painfully very average kid. All I knew about at the time was the Alamo, and my very favorite band, “Selena y Los Dinos.” I tried my hand at acting, as an extra in the movie “Selena” the movie. Although, I couldn’t let it go to my head. Well, let’s get back to my story of “from my youth.” I will start by saying, I was sound asleep in my bed when a passing train outside, making some really loud noises, was getting on my nerves, and then eventually wakes me up! I realize that the sun was not out yet. So, I thought, back to bed I go, or so I thought. When I hear from a distance someone yelling at me. It was my mother yelling at me, “food is ready!” So, I immediately jump up out of my bed and I think to myself, I better get up or, I wouldn’t hear the end of it. I hear my mom yelling at me, “get it while it’s hot!” I personally preferred to be by myself most of the time. Being the youngest in the family, and with no one to play with. I would sit in my seat, there at the table eating my food full of boredom while the adults would talk about gossip, and they’d ask “how the weather was like?” Finally, after awhile of gossip my cousin, who is much older than me, comes to my house. She has no siblings, and so looking for company she comes by to my house and asks my parents if I can go out with her. I immediately jumped at that idea, and say “yes!” My parents tell me “come back home before midnight.” I tell them, “ok”. Although really, I do not want to come back home. My cousin and I start to head out to the downtown area, and we go to see “The battle of flowers parade.” My cousin asks me, “Have you seen a parade like this before?” I tell her loudly because of the commotion “No, I have not.” Then, as I was eating my big bowl of nachos with cheese and drinking my coca-cola soda “I spot a very colorful float from a distance with some young women showing off their shoes. They are young, beautiful, and very attractive women with big tiaras and beautiful long dresses. My cousin thought it would be fun to scream at them, to get their attention. It just made me jumpy! They then turned to us and they then picked up their dresses to show off their very stylish shoes. I saw their beautiful shoes! I had really had a good time and it was such a blast. By the end of the parade I headed back to my house. I shared with my parents how happy I was, having so much fun with my cousin. The memories of that day is something I treasure to this day.
By Debra 5 years ago in Families
The Book of Little Wishes
The Book of Little Wishes by Arabez D Smith 'Helloooo!' I call out, dropping my overnight bag at the bottom of the stairs, and kicking off my sneakers by the door.
By Arabez D Smith5 years ago in Families
Now and Then
Doris overheated a cup of leftover coffee in her rush to get to the nine-o-six on time. It would be a long ride into the city and she did not like running for a train. Running was the folly of youth. A folly she had long ago used up. Now as she sat in the tightness of a window seat on the train, working hard not to make eye contact with the commuters across from her, she felt the slight graininess of the coffee burn on the roof of her mouth. She ran her tongue over the spot that was sore, did it again and again, and reminded herself that she was the reason for this slight pain. She reminded herself that this small incident was a mere memory, not a catastrophe waiting to happen.
By Janice Maves5 years ago in Families
The Disabled Miracle
Sitting in the valet area of the hospital on a cold morning, I began pondering on the events of this past six months that led up to this day. Starting with the night my wife and I were awaken by the cry of my eight year old son, Bryant. We jumped out of bed and rushed to find him fallen in the hallway.
By Terrin Stafford5 years ago in Families