family
Family unites us; but it's also a challenge. All about fighting to stay together, and loving every moment of it.
Male Depression And Emotional Affairs Often Hide In Routine
Male depression is one of the most overlooked mental health challenges, often overshadowed by assumptions about strength, stability, and silence. Nevertheless, while many men appear composed on the surface, emotional battles frequently unfold beneath the routine of everyday life. Often, emotional affairs become an escape, silently intertwined with the symptoms of depression. These two issues—male depression and emotional affairs—can become hidden patterns shaping relationships, identities, and daily behaviors.
By Bloom Boldly2 months ago in Humans
A Cartography of Becoming
We all carry maps, whether we realize it or not. Some are straightforward: the neighborhoods we grew up in, the routes to our favorite coffee shops, the big moments we counted down to. Other maps exist under the surface, invisible but stubborn—etched by memories, heartaches, and the times life knocked us sideways.
By Samantha Segalas-Shaw2 months ago in Humans
“A dress for poor people!” my daughter said. But at the party, when I walked in, she fainted...
I spent the entire night sewing my daughter's wedding gown, stitch by painful stitch, without even stopping to rest my eyes. Each needle pass was a memory. Every thread, a promise. The
By Umar Farooq2 months ago in Humans
a small bit of twine. Runner-Up in Maps of the Self Challenge. Top Story - November 2025.
~ A small bit of twine twisted around my wrist, embedding in my skin. I think the year was 1982. I didn't notice it at first until I felt the first tug pulling my small body in a direction I didn't want to go.
By Heather Hubler2 months ago in Humans
The Garden of Honest Hearts
In the quiet town of Riverfield, there was a small patch of unused land near the old library. It had been empty for as long as anyone could remember—covered in dry soil, scattered stones, and wild weeds. Most people passed by it without paying attention, but to Amaan, it looked like a place waiting for a new beginning.
By Muhammad Saad 2 months ago in Humans
Two roads converge
A boy is not born with a map. His life's destination is not fixed. In the early years, a growing youth has little say in their own navigation. But as life unfolds, his journey takes a path. A course that can diverge from the roads others take. And with each step, the map becomes solid. It isn't a tool to guide your future path; it is a chart of your past course.
By Pitt Griffin2 months ago in Humans
Into Thin Air
For being a small, timid child, I never backed down from a challenge. Ride my tricycle down the forty-five degree slope of the street we lived on? Two missing teeth, skinned knees for days and a spanking later ( in that famous Sponge Bob French accent)? Challenge accepted.
By Tina D'Angelo2 months ago in Humans
