humanity

For better or for worse, relationships reveal the core of the human condition.

Life as an EMT in a Small Town
What is it like to work in a small town? I work in a small town in Vermont called Hinesburg. Working in a small town certainly has its perks, but it also has some drawbacks. You feel like a member of the community. The phrase, everybody knows their neighbor is not a myth. When you are invested in the community where you work you get to meet some great people. You hear all the town gossip, which most of the time is not completely true. Why am I telling you this? As an EMT when you know lots of people it is not always a good thing.
By Lyn Porter4 years ago in Humans
My Worst Date Ever
Have you ever had a lackluster evening with a blind date? A boring conversation with a friend of a friend? Well, consider yourself lucky, because a date that my friend experience will probably cause you to never go on another date again.
By Merlyne Nkanga4 years ago in Humans
The Water
The water is calm and inviting. Standing on the bank it looks warm and still. The water looks almost fake against the pink and yellow sunrise. You take a long drawn out deep breath. It smells like after a warm summer rainstorm when you can smell the clean grass and wet tree bark. The smell is familiar and calming so you slowly take off your socks and shoes, setting them next to you in the dry sand. The mud is cold in between my toes, but it still feels inviting and free. You slowly start to inch your way toward the water. Not too fast because then you might change your mind. You’ve been warned how dangerous water is but its so beautiful. There are people behind you now, safe and trustworthy people. They are cheering you on,
By BrePauls4 years ago in Humans
HEAUXLISTIC THERAPY
Entry 1 Life gave me the lemons that I asked for... The best way to start this is by saying that you should prepare to laugh cry hate me and relate to me. Your jaw might drop. Pick that shit up and keep reading. Your eyes might water. Let the tears flow sis. I'm all about feelings and expressing pain and fear and sadness. You know you'll develop stomach tumors by holding things in right? So in case no one else ever said it, girl just cry or be mad or whatever and get it over with. This story will take me quite some time to write, & most of it will be true. Some of it might be true but not MY truth. A little of it will be solely from my imagination. Try to guess what's what.
By Heauxlistic Therapy4 years ago in Humans
Dear Self
Dear Self, You are a beautiful, honest woman whom I am proud of. You are a good Mother as always trying to think of things that are best for your children, but still give yourself plenty of time to yourself. You are compassionate and loving when I need it. You are strong and I love the effort you put out. You are funny and I like hanging out with you.
By Jennifer Skinner4 years ago in Humans
My Brother's Eulogy
I would like to start off by saying what a wonderful Man Jason had become. Jason was kind, caring, and compassionate. He also had a lot of patience. After working long hours and sleeping when he could, he still made time for his wife and children, and even myself or others when we came for a visit. When he had a day or 2 off he would make an effort to spend it with his family. Jason was a good worker who had an apt for almost anything. Jason just knew how to fix and do things; like he was born with skills he self-learnt. Jason was a good-hearted man. He was easily liked and loved by anyone he would let into his life as he was not very confrontational.
By Jennifer Skinner4 years ago in Humans
So Close
It hurts. It still hurts every day. A memory pops into my head and sometimes I will smile, sometimes I will be sad, sometimes I just cry, but all those times I hurt. I hurt because I do not understand how it is a memory that holds no meaning anymore. How you and I are nothing anymore. It hurts as it feels like just yesterday we were cooking, walking, laughing, talking. I think of things you said to me, the way you talked to me. I think of the way you looked at me, the way we looked at each other. I think of the questions you asked me, the answers you gave me. I think of the way you told me we were forever. I think of the ways you told me we could always communicate. I think of the words you said saying that we can get through anything. All I can do is think of the way you communicated and acted and shared because I can not know the way you felt. I can only know the way I felt and the way I feel.
By Jennifer Skinner4 years ago in Humans
Death
I have been fairly lucky growing up without experiencing much death in my life. As a child I was not exposed to it much. But here are some deaths that I did experience. Some affected me a little, some a lot, but some not really at all.
By Jennifer Skinner4 years ago in Humans
How Do You Measure A Lifetime
How do you measure a lifetime? How do you reach inner peace and harmony within yourself? How do you get to the point where you feel that you have done all the good things, all the right things, that you could have done, and then did them?
By John Whye4 years ago in Humans
South Dakotans and Sharks.
I was sitting in the sand, on the Isle of Palms, complaining about my dry sandwich. I had just finished boogie-boarding some "gnarly waves" and my eight-year-old self was wiped out, literally and figuratively. Then, out of nowhere, my dad ran towards my mom and I with an obvious look of shock on his face. My six-year-old sister, Beth, was close behind, dragging a boogie board in her wake. She was almost in tears. "What happened?" my mom and I asked, practically in unison.
By naomi 4 years ago in Humans
Covid 19 Reflection
These past few weeks have gone by slower than I ever could have imagined. I do the same thing every day. And everyday repeats itself seven times to make one week. And then that week turns into a month. It’s as if I'm living in a boring movie that is on repeat. Thursday March 12th was the last day of school for the 2019-2020 school year. To us it seemed like a two week vacation. But little did we know that Thursday afternoon was just the beginning of a journey no one wanted to take. Although we still have online school, it’s not the same. Athletes lost their spring season. Seniors lost their prom and graduation. I wonder how that Thursday would have been different, if we knew we wouldn't go back. Students would have said goodbye to teachers and seniors, textbooks would be returned, and lockers cleaned out. The hallways would be flooded with emotions. Some kids cheering, some kids crying. The class of 2020 continues to ask themself why. Why them? Why this year? No one can answer that except God.
By Hannah Labrum4 years ago in Humans
Belonging
Belonging. We all seek to belong don't we? Whether it's through sports, book clubs, politics, religion, and all of the other hundreds of little ways we try to form a connection. We try to fit in, group with others who think and feel as we do.
By Anna Boisvert4 years ago in Humans