humanity
For better or for worse, relationships reveal the core of the human condition.
I Was Blessed by a Transgender Woman today
I was on my way to Bangalore from Chennai (both are places in India) with my family, in my dad’s car. It was my grandfather’s 80th birthday, and we were returning from a family get together, including the extended family (about 25 people in total).
By Shruthi Sundaram5 years ago in Humans
She chose me
There I was sitting inside my car. My head leaning against the window, as I sat behind the steering wheel looking out. It was snowing, and it was beautiful. White snowflakes landing on the windshield . Im extremely tired, emotionally exhausted and physically drained. How can I plan out my life, and it not manifest? I contributed my life to working, and being the best at what I do no matter what I chose as employment. I was healing and leveling up in my life. To become the best woman I am. Mother and teacher to my children. Fulfilling my dream. Now currently it’s day three of losing my home. I yelled, “Why?!! Why?!! Why?!!” So angry I felt, now tears coming to my eyes. Eventually escaping eventually trickling down my cheeks. It’s like everything did a turn for the worse. The COVID-19 virus came. And most of the people in China and America never witnessed anything like this. The Corona is a virus that attacks your respiratory, but we need oxygen to live. To breathe! It’s incredible the times we are living through. Aside from the stress of the pandemic I had nowhere to go. My children are along me at this time , making it more challenging and torment on myself. It’s also the middle of the winter with frigid temperatures. Single digit temperatures! Living in Ohio, the winters are a hit or miss. But this winter seemed to be the coldest I can remember. Maybe it was because of my situation. My brain tries to process so many different things at once. I couldn’t do it, I won’t do it I thought to myself. I turned in my seat to look in the back. I stared at my babies, my children, detailing their perfect faces. Beautiful and they have their own special light. They are important. They are my offsprings, a better version of me. I want them to be failed them, once again I thought. I fixed the blankets over their legs and made sure I tucked their hands underneath the covers. It was warm in the car as I kept it running while parked. They were sleep. Three girls. Ages, twelve, seven and six. I loved them more than I loved myself, but I was starting to doubt that. How could I let this happen? Why did I not reach out for help as soon as possible for assistance? Why am I such a damn procrastinator?! I thought to myself, and as I looked at them, more thoughts ran thru my mind. Finally I thought, what am I going to do? I can potentially lose my children if anyone found out about this. I need a plan and I need it now!
By Marion Ball5 years ago in Humans
It Only Takes a Book
Sometimes life is funny. You can be a struggling 'X' one moment, then in that same moment, your whole life can change in an instant. It only takes a book, a little black notebook to be exact, for my whole life to be flipped on its heel. That along with a creative mind, and the twenty thousand dollar Xisa gift card in the side sleeve in said notebook. My name is not important, but for the sake of this tale just call me T.
By Timothy Lopez5 years ago in Humans
Into the Wrong Hands
The terse rhythm of my fingers tapping against the keyboard gained a friend when the rusted van pulled up to the drive-thru window. My eyes had returned to the computer screen before my brain processed what I saw. Behind the lit cigarette was a woman with long greyed hair tied back at the nape of her neck. Her skin looked splotchy and aged. Her neck hung noticeably.
By Shae Massé5 years ago in Humans
My Neighbor, Sylvia
I like to believe I’m a friendly person. I smile at people, I say hello to my neighbors, maybe even chat about the weather, the world under Covid, our aches and pains, traffic, you know, the mundane things of everyday living. Sometimes, I may ask about their family, the pets. Though, I never really have time to get deep, being wound up in my own life, my own concerns, to stop and engage in someone else’s story. It’s the reality of living in a busy, hectic environment like NYC. Yes, Covid has slowed everything down a bit, but it has also amplified our own concerns even more. We’ve retreated even further into our own world, a by-product of weeks and months in quarantine.
By Marlyn Bandiero5 years ago in Humans
Love Letters from Heather
To the guy I met in Chicago’s Criminal Court whose name I have long forgotten. When I was 12, my mother and I went apple picking on a crisp fall day. On the drive back home, apple in hand, my eardrums were jolted by the sound of smashing glass. I felt the lurch as my body pressed mercilessly against the seatbelt. While my mother was busy trying to right the car and keep it from rolling, I was engaged in staring straight ahead at a tree that seemed to be getting far too close far too quickly.
By Heather Down5 years ago in Humans
A Drawer Full of Hope
As a child Vanessa liked to visit yard sales with her parents. She became adept at sanding, repairing and restoring worn pieces of furniture. She continued the hobby even as an adult, occasionally coming across bargains that she would never have been able to afford at full price. Vanessa’s online job made it possible for her to rent a bedroom and pay her share of the bills in a house she shared with four other women, and she could buy herself groceries and needed goods, but there was not much left over for extras. She was pleased to be able to support herself but looked forward to saving up enough to indulge in her favorite hobby – restoring old furniture.
By Jay Michael Jones5 years ago in Humans
Rearview Driving
Strange as it sounds, we often use rearview mirrors to see where we’re going in life. Auto manufacturers install them so we can glance at them from time to time to see what’s happening behind us. As humans we use rearview mirrors more frequently than we should. Not while we’re driving but as a navigational tool for our lives. We keep looking back as if we left something on that road behind us. Like we can throw our lives in reverse, speed backwards, and recover ground. In our rearview mirror, we can turn off where and when we should have, or worse yet, run over someone we later wish we never met or come to despise.
By Francesca Flood, Ed.D.5 years ago in Humans
