humanity
The real lives of businessmen, professionals, the everyday man, stay at home parent, healthy lifestyle influencers, and general feel good human stories.
Essential Workers Hidden in Darkness
One of the great things about NYC is that it runs on a 24-hour cycle. At any given time you can find a complete meal, get assistance for any kind of emergency, or find quality entertainment (which holds a wide range of interpretations).
By Nancy Gwillym4 years ago in Journal
If Only They Had Listened
On May 27, 1899 Martha Jones and Albert Jones had their first little girl today they named her Jamia ( Ja-Me-A) Ahvayuh (A-Ava-yuh) Jones. She was born during the war against South Africa. At the time everybody thought she was a lucky little girl because she was born in one of the richest families in St. John's In Canada an had no worries of the war. She was very smart But she was more off to herself didn't really like to hang with any other children or play with others. Her mother and father seemed to have loved her so much during this time she seems loved well taken care of and healthy, But all this begins to change on Oct 27th, 1905 when her little sister Ania Jones was born. Everything began to change Jamia was only 5 at the time when they started to treat her differently, on Nov 19, 1910 was when the event that'll change her forever. "BBC Nia give me my stuff back now!!" Jamia screamed "No!!" Nia screamed back Jamia snatched her phone back from Nia an Nia fell down the stairs she had only fell down three steps an busted her lip on the floor. Nia began to scream as if someone had stabbed her "DADDDYYYYY" she screamed Jamia just stood there in shock because she didn't intentionally mean to push her. "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN HERE?!" Their mother an father said rushing to the stairs "Mia pushed me down the stairsss!" Nia cried out acting as if she was gonna die from a simple little cut her teeth had done when she fell. *Switching Point Of Views To Jamia's* "Dad I swear she took my phone an wouldn't give it back an I snatched it an when I did she fell down THREE STEPS it wasn't nothing she's being dramatic!" I said trying to explain how their 5 year old was being extra. "GIVE NIA YOUR PHONE AN PASSWORD AN GO TO YOUR ROOM DONT COME OUT FOR ANYTHING !!" My dad said yelling in my face something he had never done he grabbed my arm an pushed me against the stairs I remember hitting my head an feeling dizzy as I stood up I saw my sister point an laugh so I stumbled to my room an lied on the floor an cried the rest that day an night . That was a Saturday so I didn't have school the next day So I woke up an went into my bathroom an got dressed for church an I realized there was a knot that had been bleeding. So I called in our maid Ms. Renee "MS. RENEE CAN YOU COME HERE FOR A SECONDDD PLEASEEE" I said yelling outside my door luckily she was already walking towards it. " Omg Sweetie your face what in the tarnation is this?!" She said rushing to my Aid she grabbed my hand an rushed me into the hall bathroom. Grabbed a wash cloth a wet it with cold water "What happened to you do your parents know!? " she said gently tapping the rag on my face. "Daddy the one who did it" I said starting to cry all over again she looked at me with tears in her eyes "He did this to you???, he's never done anything like this" she said hugging me. After that day my father an mother would torcher me when they were mad they took all their anger out on me."JAMIAAAA WAKE UPP BABY GET UP" Ms. Renee cried holding me at the attic's stair way, I had been down there for probably 15days without food. They had told the school an family and friends that I had been sent off to boarding school for behavioral Correction. I was never a bad child I just was the least favorite an most blamed an picked on, "Look at Jamia daddy" Nia said laughing and pointing at me I was so sick and weak my body had bruises everywhere. "Call doctor Locket James we can't have the public see this " he said walking away with his coffee an a big smile. "She needs to eat more an keep her in a warm area because she's close to getting hypothermia" The doctor said looking at me I couldn't speak to try an ask for help. I would've thought he would've known look at me I don't deserve any of this, or maybe I do deserve this. A week later I was a well enough to go to school I had made up in my mind I was gonna tell someone. As I walked to the counselor's office I felt so afraid praying they'd believe me. "Goodmorning Mrs. Parker can I speak to you for a second" I said I was so scared but I knew I could trust Mrs. Parker I was always abled to talk her about things. 30 minutes after telling her what happened she said to me "Are you done lying to me??, I thought I knew you better then this your a liar get out my office your a DISGRACE" she yelled at me. I ran out her office into the bathroom an cried I had missed 1st period an half of 2nd period. I didn't have friends I wasn't allowed to the principals an teachers listened to my parents an I was separated from the other students. It was one male I felt would help me. "Coach Mike hey coach mike!" I said walking up doing a hand shake "Wassup babygirl" he said doing the hand shake to. "When you gone let me see some?" he asked I never responded to those type of questions I just ignored them. That day I was checked out an my father was so angry with me for telling what they had been doing to me. "BRING YOUR STUPID UGLY ASS HERE NOW!" He said yelling in the principals office he grabbed me an slammed my little body against the principals book shelf the principal sat an said nothing an that moment there is when I losted all hope in people and hope that I would be saved. "Sir please don't handle her in that manner she's only twelve" she said still sitting there doing absolutely NOTHING. No one came but him on the car ride home the only thing he said was "You finna regret opening YOUR GOTDAMN MOUTH JAMIA?!" I was so afraid but I was prepared for a beating never was I prepared for what was about to happen. As we got out the car he said nothing he just buzzed for the maids to open the door and of course Ms. Renee did "My goddess come in let me take you guys coats" she said grabbing me an taking off my coat it was freezing outside but of course it was the month of October. He grabbed me by my arm soon as my fist was off "TO THE BASEMENT LETS GO!" He yelled yanking my arm so hard I know I'm gonna have a bruise. I looked back at Mrs. Renee an I could tell she wanted to cry, he opened the basement door an pushed me in I fell down the stairs. He slammed the door an turned the light on by the door, "Get up a look at me" he said smiling he looked so weird this time but I did as I was told he walked towards me an I whispered "I'm scared" my eyes began to water. "Don't be " he walked up to me an grabbed my waist an told me turn around as he struggles to get in. He grabs the scissors off the floor an cuts the inside of me i was bleeding everywhere an he continued to rape me pulling my hair "This what you wanted right??, a REAL man" he said moaning I was in so much pain I couldn't scream or cry anymore I remember passing out an waking up in a hospital. "Baby are you ok??!" My momma said my momma RARELY spoke to me, I couldn't speak my voice was completely gone from screaming no one tried to help I wish I had died. "Mia I thought you were dead" my sister said crying at my side I never seen her cry about ME before. "I don't know what she was doing down there I tried to stop her" my dad said crying I wish I could tell what he had done but I couldn't speak. Months went by I had to re learn how to walk I was told I'd never be abled to have children which I didn't want, but he took that opportunity from me. So on January 19, 1912 at 8:30am I decided enough was enough an I went an told a coach coach Brian about what was going on he began to comfort me daily checking on me telling me everything would be ok an that he was gonna seek me some help. "Hey, Ms Harris can I see Jamia for a second need her to help me with a few things" he always asked me out of class but this time was different. "Ok Jamia go ahead with coach Brian " she gave me permission to go with him so I left it was him another student an I walked out to the court yard an started giving out snacks. "Hey Jamia I need you to come with me to gym to get the rest of the food ready" he said putting his apron on the table. Today was field day so we had to pass out snack an things an I was in Ms. Harris class so I went to ask her, "Yea sure go ahead" she told me I immediately ran to him an told him she said I could go. "Ok well you go threw that door an go around an imma meet you there have to pick up something's first than I'll be there Jacob's coming aswell" he said walking away so I went to the bathroom then started walking towards the gym "Mia come threw this door" Coach Brian said waving his hand I could barely see considering I'm legally blind in one eye. "Ok " I said walking threw the door as I walked in I seen lockers. I then realized I was in a locker room, “Go threw that door right there” he said pointing ahead I couldn’t see if Jacob was there so I walked towards the door an walked in. I then realized he wasn’t there an I heard the door closed behind me,I automatically knew what was finna happen. I turned around “I’m scared” I said backing away “don’t be afraid “ he said walking closer “I’m scared” I repeated it three times “Don’t be scared!” He said grabbing me he stood in front of me an unbuttoned my pants. I knew better then to scream no one would hear there’s a whole field day going on music an their on other side of the school. I stood there in fear as he touched my private area “turn around” he said biting his lips looking at me I felt so humiliated, I felt violated, an disgusting. I hated my body but I did as I was told an turned around I bent over on the countertop like I was told he then forced himself in me. As he was going all I thought about was dying I wanted to die so bad, I just sat there an pretend I was at a happy place. “You like this don’t you” he said pulling my hair as he finished he grabbed a towel an Wiped his semen up off the floor I pulled my pants up “Don’t tell anybody ok?” He said looking at me “ok” I said I just wanted to be gone I hated myself I hated my body I hated my life I couldn’t trust ANYONE . After school I ran home off the bus an hugged Ms. Renee so tight an just began to cry I sat down an told her everything she immediately contacted the police an they got involved. “I HATE YOU YOUR NOT MY CHILD I WISH YOU WERENT BORN WE DONT ACCEPT GAY PEOPLE IN THIS FAMILY YOUR NOT MY CHILD!” My mom screamed at me she had found out that I had been writing a girl on MySpace. “Jamia it’s ok she just needs time” my sister said hugging me, me an my sister still weren’t close but she was growing to understand an see that the way I was being treated was wrong. *BOOM BOOM BOOM* “POLICE OPEN UP!!” *BOOM BOOM BOOM* I ran down stairs as my dad open the door “ To Be Continued ….
By Jasmine Wilson4 years ago in Journal
On the way to find (a missing part of) myself
I am an engineer, working as Senior manager in a multinational company where for more than 21 years I have been travelling around the world. I am also father of a teenage girl, a husband and a PADI diving instructor.
By Giuseppe Moscarda4 years ago in Journal
Hometown Heroes-village girl
Trying to struggle and achieve from a middle class family I always dreamt to be an engineer. Parents have always supported irrespective of staying in a village full of criticism, jealousy , insult, crazy minds, mean people, not helping when someone wants to rise up.
By Harsha Upadhyaya4 years ago in Journal
Access the Good
A friend of mine, very recently, asked me a pretty simple question, that should have had a pretty simple answer, “Tell me a happy memory from your past.” To my surprise, it was rather difficult. I laid down on my couch, got nice and comfy, closed my eyes, and searched through all the folds in my brain. I could not come up with one specific, pinpoint memory of happiness! I had general feelings of people, places, and life events that I know gave me joy, but it was frustrating to nail down the specifics of any one thought. I cheated a little bit and told her that right then I was having a happy memory talking with her…not good enough. I continued to dig and came up with one about a job promotion I had gotten years earlier and the feeling of pride I had at that moment. It was a real feeling of accomplishment and validation. My friend told me to remember and tap into that feeling whenever you needed a boost. That’s good advice, although I remember saying it felt a bit clinical. I still had this nagging feeling though. I know I have many, many happy memories. It just seems as though when I try to access certain ones, especially dealing with people, they seem to be complex and cloudy.
By Randal Hall4 years ago in Journal
"New Adult"
In May of 2021, I graduated college. After five years, three different universities, and three majors I got my Bachelor’s. Now, quickly approaching a year after graduation, I’m still not working in my field. Family is of course politely asking “do you have any feelers out there,” or sometimes impolitely asking “how come you’re not doing anything environmental?” My response is usually something like “I’m happy with my job now” or “I am doing environmental things I’m just not getting paid for it.” What I really want to say is “Yeah, I know what you’re thinking and I think I’m wasting my life too.”
By Emma Wilson4 years ago in Journal
The pandemic ate me alive
Not all of us got out of the pandemic alive. I look in the mirror as I get ready for work and I’m careful not to make direct eye contact with the being looking back at me. I don’t want to see their eyes. I don’t want to see their pain, because it is my pain too. If I look in the mirror, I will have to admit that I lost; that we lost, and that perhaps, we are still losing.
By Suge Acid Hawk4 years ago in Journal
It's the Loneliness.....
January 18th, 2022 11:11PM I'm not going to lie. The toughest thing wasn't getting a job. It wasn't dealing with DCS. It wasn't even finding a place to stay. The toughest thing was loneliness. That's the part that they don't teach you about in those classes. They show you how to do everything but make friends. You meet people and some of them turn out to be wonderful and then they find out about where you used to be at and why you were there and they no longer want anything to do with you. They're mad at you because of what they think you did or they feel like you're a threat to them. They don't want to take the time to think about what's really going on. They don't want to let you grow. They just don't want anything to do with you. It hurts and the truth is that you're doomed to deal with it over and over again for the rest of your life as long as you decide to meet new people. Some people will tell you that if you have family, then that's all you need. That your family is enough. But what if your family has a family. They have lives of their own. What if you live alone? You think your family is going to come over for dinner every night? Everything will be all good for maybe the first month and then it sets in that you're out and established and now you have to move forward. People will expect you to find some job that eats all your time up. A job cannot fill that void for other people in your heart. Maybe if you trust God, He will put the right people in your heart. That's one of those things that takes patience. And everything about learning patience hurts. I don't have any advice for you on this because I haven't solved it either. All I know is that I am sick of feeling lonely. I lived with Erica for 2 years. Hunter was in my life for 3 months. After that, I was surrounded by people for 20 years. Now I live alone by myself in a house. The silence is jarring. I have to run noise in the background to keep myself from going insane. I have cried more in the past 80 days than I have in the last 20 years. It is these silences that compound my loss and that's the one thing no one has figured out yet. It's not just that I am alone but in my loneliness I am reminded of everything that I lost.....Hunter.....Erica.....Hunter....20 years of my life.....Mom.....Dad.....Hunter.....you get my point? They say things will get better. I dearly pray so. I trust God. I really do. But at the same time, it still hurts that people will reject me not because of who I am but because of what they think I did. I'm a good person. It's not so hard to see that once you get to know me....but you have to get to know me first. Once you get to know me you will see that I'm not such a bad person after all. Sometimes bad things happen to good people and this was one of those times. It was a horrible thing that happened but I am determined to make the most of my second lease on life. I have paid my debt to society and all that I ask is that people give me the benefit of the doubt and get to know me as the person that I am, not the person who you think I ought to be. It's amazing that in today's world, we try to rail against pre-conceived notions and we create safe spaces for certain groups and yet we do not act consistent in this. When we meet someone who challenges our notions of what we think is right and proper, we tend to shrink back and be afraid and even attack. If that is how you are and you have no wish to change from that, then so be it. But I grew as a person while I was in prison and I intend to keep growing. Loneliness may be the killer, but I intend to seek life...not life in prison, but a life of freedom and happiness.
By Adrian English4 years ago in Journal
