humanity
For better or for worse, relationships reveal the core of the human condition.
How Many Men Does It Take to Fall In Love?
I'd never been promiscuous, I wasn't a virgin but I wasn't loose either. I'd always wanted that fairytale love bullsh*t that they talked about in movies and in books. I'd cried over lost love and a man that would never reciprocate the feelings I had for him. I searched for it looking in all the wrong places. I met the man I thought I was going to marry at eighteen. I was in love completely. I fell for him hard, my first love, my first sexual encounter. I always felt that our time was strained and that we were meant to be together perhaps in a different time or place.
By De'Jah Williams9 years ago in Humans
Modern Day Cinderella
Since I was little, my father would call me names. When I was 3 years old he took my binky around, because, "I was too old". When I started 2nd grade, my mother became very ill, and I took over the household choirs; cooking, cleaning and taking my brother to and from his bus stop, while my father was "working". He lied always about where he was. He would always come home smelling like food, and my brother and myself would be left to fend for ourselves.
By Alexius McCoy9 years ago in Humans
Generation vs Generation
I'm about to tell you something that you already know, and if you aren't for some reason aware of this then you must have some kind of superpower. We get older. I know, shocking. We eat, we sleep, we get older, we die; these are some of the certainties in life that everyone must face. But there is another common thread among those who have reached adulthood, one that creeps up on most people that have lived a fuller life, or been around long enough to notice substantial changes in their communities and the world at large.
By Tyler Selig9 years ago in Humans
Love
What is love anyway? There are so many thoughts, ideas, and expectations surrounding love that sometimes we get lost in something other than love. We get pulled by what we believe love is, we get lost in the notion that love will save us, we get lost in the idea that love is separate from us, and we have fallen from grace.
By Jessica Fulkerson9 years ago in Humans
The Hidden Side of Society...
I have been called many things, squeezed into the minuscule gaps of each letter of my name like each resembled a bottomless chasm in which seemingly meaningless words could hide. Most say that I am just a 'teenager' who has not yet lived long enough to experience life, few speak as though I am just another blip on the radar that is society. Those rare, selected handful of people call me an inspiration and yet, I am alone. Yes, I am surrounded by friends and family...But at the same time, I am alone in terms of what I think. Of my opinions, views, social status which should mean nothing when in reality it means the difference between gaining something in life and losing it. You see, life is a concept. A concept in which the size of your clothes, the colour of your skin or your sexual orientation are like boulders blocking the path to acceptance and held in place by the people who do not agree with you. Not your thoughts or opinions. You. Because I have often come across people who judge a person by their looks and if that is acceptable in their book then they go on to judge the next part of who you are as if it is merely a talent show in which you can never win.
By Amber Dodd9 years ago in Humans
The Fear Within
Getting ready for work. I've taken a shower, gotten dressed and brushed my teeth. It's a typical Tuesday afternoon. I feel like today is going to be a good day. I say this while in the comfort of my own house. But, as I start getting ready to leave, I grab my keys and phone, put on my jacket and take a deep breath.
By Stacey Jimenez9 years ago in Humans
Defiled
Waking up in the middle of the night. Every day I feel this fright. The nightmare I relive each night. Once was enough seeing his face. I feel distrust. Betrayal of the family I once knew. Nightmare every night I fear. Afraid to wake up the people that sleep beside me with my screams. All I see is the anxiety I feel. The air in my body tenses. I can't breathe. I take the pill that releases the fear. His smile haunts me. His touch makes me feel him. I can't be around him. My nightmare has been relived. Through everything in my body, I release the pressure of my nightmare. I relive this almost every night. This was the onset of my depression. I worked through this but I still feel as if it was my fault. I feel as I let it happen. I trusted him. He was family and he defiled my innocence. I covered my body, withdrew from everything I loved. I even self-medicated for the longest time. I tried to take my own life. I thought cutting myself would make everything better. It really didn’t, it just made things worse. I can’t even see his face anymore. I still think about it occasionally. I was only a teenager when it happened. I deal with not trusting men. I won’t even trust my own family. It hurts to speak about it. Hurts to think about it, but I had to move on. I had to let go. I had to make sure that I forgave them. That was the hardest part. It took me five years to forgive him. I can’t let what happened continue to ruin my life. It took me almost ten years to learn to love myself again. It took even longer for me to learn to love again. I am now in a very loving relationship. So, as I look back on it I asked myself questions. Why as survivors can we not talk about being raped. Years go by and a woman still won’t speak of it. They go unreported. They fear the attackers. Living in fear of it happening again, protecting the heart. The hardest part people don’t realize about a survivor is the ability to learn to trust again. Once we learn to trust again, we put all trust in that person. Losing trust takes years to gain back. Another hard thing a survivor must do is learn how to love. It may be of the most dangerous thing we do as survivors. We tread super lightly. It will always take more time but we can love. No matter how much therapy we get we will never be fixed. We can talk until we feel everything is better, but in the back of our mind it’s always there. It always haunts us. Keeps us from loving fully. Our hearts stay protected. There are walls put up. Guards put into place to make sure we never get hurt again. So, asking a survivor to put trust in you or to love you is a tough task. We hide our feelings, and make sure everyone thinks we are okay. But in all reality on the inside we are crumbling, screaming, or just wanting to be held. It takes time, patience, and the ability to want to help. Survivors still need a support system. I do want to tell any survivors of rape that it was not your fault. Things will get a lot better. Nothing will begin to feel the same until you forgive the person who defiled you. You are wanted.
By Danyelle Lewinson9 years ago in Humans
My Last Love
This story starts a few years ago. She caught my eye but I couldn't say a word. I spent an entire year sitting just feet from the girl of my dreams. Love at first sight. Never able to do more than shyly smile as we passed each day. In my mind we were just too different. She loved being in class and was great at math. I loved missing class to go outside and smoke with the guys and couldn't stand being near math. Every time I looked at her my heart skipped and she never noticed me, which I was pretty used to anyways. Years later after a lot of bad choices and A LOT of ruining my mind with violence and alcohol I ran across her at Walmart. Just walking around with a friend from the same math class and the most beautiful girl in the world walks across my path once again.
By David Coon III9 years ago in Humans
Let's Talk Pride
June is Pride month. Throughout this month I have seen and shared a number of posts celebrating the month and the queer community. However, I have also seen posts against the queer community and saying they don't understand why we feel the need to celebrate Pride. They provide a number of reasons for what they think; they think it is about queer's shoving sex in other's faces, about a sense of superiority, or any other number of assumptions. The truth is, these assumptions are incorrect. Pride is not about any of these things, although some people who participate likely feel these. However, Pride is part of a bigger picture.
By J.C. Marie9 years ago in Humans
