humanity
For better or for worse, relationships reveal the core of the human condition.
The Woman that I Am
I’ve never been ashamed to talk about my past. The trauma I experienced as a child help make me the woman I am today. I’ve fought every step of the way, from caterpillar to butterfly. This journey was not easy. I know I made a lot of mistakes along the way to self-healing, but I also know that I developed good healthy coping skills. Some of which I thought was a weakness until my therapist pointed out that they are my strength. So I am sharing my story, because if I can help just ONE person go ‘Ah ha!’ about their own path to self-care, then all my pain is worth it.
By Kristina Luck5 years ago in Humans
It's Just Wanderlust
Me: Hey, weird question, but do you believe in soulmates? I didn’t think I did but now I do. We’re soulmates y’know. Platonic, we’re both too free to ever be together, but we’re soulmates. How could we not be? You, me, the world, my mother, it’s all pulled us apart and still we come back together. Do you still listen to Lana Del Rey? I’m listening to her new album now. She has this new song called “Not All Who Wander Are Lost”. Listen to it for me? Okay but now let me set the scene. We’re driving on Blue Ridge Parkway and we’ve been in the mountains for days. We’re both dirty and tired but the freedom keeps us high – and the weed. Anyways, it’s early and we’re driving along, watching the sunrise over the mountains and through the trees. I light a joint and take a pull, passing it to you. You take a drag and your arm lingers out the window following the lines of the wind. Her song plays and we croon along, freedom and young love and pure life coursing from our calves to the tips of our ears. We’re not lost, we’re finally found – finally alive. We keep driving, waving at some bikers who pass until we start setting with the sun. We find a campground and start a roaring fire, then we sit thigh to thigh by it, hypnotized by the flames. The tension of the long car day starts unrolling from our necks and shoulders. You lean away and are back just as quickly with a magic bottle of gin from your bag. We drink, our mouths crashing with the opening, spilling onto our throats and chests and smiling drunkenly. Something grunts in the night and we laugh and scream, scaring whatever beast away, not realizing how close to death we may have been. It’s just wanderlust. We kiss the mess of gin off each other, and then crash into an intoxicated sleep, uncaring of the world around us. What a dream it would be, to be so carefree with you. I miss you. Do you miss me? With so many people in your world, could you? Should I miss you at all? My sisters say no, so does my mind. But the heart and soul are much easier to listen to, and they miss you. “It’s hard to be lonely but it’s the right thing to do”. Liar. Being this lonely can’t be healthy. Are you lonely? With all the people all around, do you still feel alone? Does anyone ease your pain, or are you just like me? Maybe we should meet. We could go to that one place downtown and drink some gin, stumbling home after with a joint split between us. An alternate reality, but is there any less fiction to it than the first? No, because you’re there and I’m here and neither of us will give up our dreams for the other, so apart we stay, stubbornly sad. Each counting the seconds until the other texts, then leaving them on read, for the sake of not showing any real emotion. At least, that’s what I do. Do you? Or are you truly that carefree? What I would give to not care. A bottle of gin and a joint? Perhaps. We should get some Thai food and then drive fast and then make love. I feel like that would be good for both of us, closure. Closure? No, you’re right, it would just make things hurt more. But we could pretend we don’t know that. Nothing new to either of us, pretending.
By Emma Baker5 years ago in Humans
Save it for a raining day
He supposed he shouldn’t be outside, not in this weather. Not in the rain. His boots we’re wet, filled with water, covered with mud. His coat was soak, his brown curly hair no longer define gravity as the rain itself pulled his hair back down and he was alone. Standing in the middle of the street, by himself with nobody to talk to, but his own thoughts roll around his mind. Not even the cars we’re moving because nobody was silly enough to drive in this, sort of weather.
By Valerie Daniel5 years ago in Humans
The Art of Rain and Wind
The Art of Rain and Wind by Ina B. Sentia 3.17.21 I have seen the patterned artwork from rain and wind on stone. Rivulets of raindrops racing each other down the face of a rock wall, combining to punish the immovable object for the crime of existing. Arches, tunnels, bowls, narrows, cliffs, caves, and other distinguishably-carved figures that even the imagination-free can see. We gaze out at the mental horizon and visualize these figures:
By brian pelton5 years ago in Humans
The Camels of Misfit Farm
Author's note: This is an aside from other stories that will appear about the camels in future posts. Sal was remarkably calm after Willis tried to investigate his glass of merlot. It is not every day that a glass of wine is tipped into your lap by a 1000-pound male camel. He laughed as Willis sampled his fruit and cheese.
By Janet Patterson5 years ago in Humans
why cleaning up others and YOUR trash, food, ect, helps the earth.
every day, you ALWAYS see that one tiny piece of paper or gum on the ground, you don't hesitate to kick it, and move on with your day. but then people like you say the exact same phrase at the LEAST 2-3 times a day, and that phrase is, "someone else will pick it up". So, Nobody EVER picks it up, now, In this case we are not worried about the grass or trees, considering the fact it wont hurt them, but..PROBLEM. What if a stray dog, bird, snapping turtle, land turtle, or a mouse eats it? And that thing died because you did not take 10 seconds out of your day, and toss it in the garbage bin. and the thing that bugs me the most, is the fact someone has the guts to toss it under there desk, or even stick a piece of gum on a tree, like...seriously? and YES, I have seen a 5 year old do both of those. so if you see some gum on the ground, or a plastic bottle on a road, please, PLEASE, pick it up, and throw it away, like, the trash can is two feet away.
By Michelaandthe7plants@5 years ago in Humans
THE CHILD ON THE ROAD
My father physically abused me so I left and went to go live with my friend's family." It all started when I was living with my father in Tillsonburg. Tillsonburg was where I lived my whole life. My Dad, my sister, and me were living with my Uncle. My brother who had been living with friends, left Tillsonburg to go live with my mother in Mississauga. My father physically abused me so I left and went to go live with my friend's family. I lived there for about three months. When I went to go live with my mom in Mississauga she kicked me out and sent me back to Tillsonburg, after about a week. She left me with some clothes, that's about it. When she sent me back it was April 2006. I was 14 years old and it was the first time I had ever felt alone. I had no contact with my Mom because I had no phone number from her and no contact with my Dad because he moved to Alberta.
By ajang elvis5 years ago in Humans
A Letter in Strange Times
When did you last receive a letter in the post? I remember how excited I would be when an envelope landed on the doormat, the address handwritten and the stamp a real sticker, not a grim franking machine automation. As life, and technology stretched out before me, I wrote less and less. These days a note to my son’s PE teacher asking for excusal from games due to sore eyebrow or whatever, is as far as I venture in the letter writing field. A friend suggested a virtual letter swap in these strange times. It was an opportunity to check-in with ourselves and our feelings and to share the burden of uncertainty. In the spirit of an ocean not yet navigated, and unfinished voyages, here’s my letter to you, with love …
By Teresa Renton5 years ago in Humans
Bad Girl House
John often complained about the neighbors that lived two doors down from us. Not because there was anything wrong with them, or because of something they had done. John had never actually spoken to them, and didn’t want to. He griped about the husband’s brand new truck, as well as the boat and RV that lined their driveway. He accused them of flaunting these fancy things for everyone to see. The improvements being done, and completed, on the outside of their house were another source of aggravation. Even the spring flowers that accented their freshly manicured lawn were showing off. John would watch what was going on down the street from our unfinished living room. He stood there loudly spouting his deep jealousy, which was most likely frustration with himself.
By Kathy Sees5 years ago in Humans
UK Plans Day Of Reflection To Signify All Lives Lost In Covid 19 Pandemic So Far
It has now been just over a year since the United Kingdom first went in to lock down due to Covid 19. The virus spreads from person to person due to the amount of social contact we all have with each other. Due to this the country was placed in lock down along with a number of other restrictions to help prevent the virus spreading further and getting out of control. These measures included social distancing measures where everyone has to have at least two metres social distancing between themselves and other people or one metre plus when this is not possible.
By Ashish Prabhu5 years ago in Humans
