Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Psyche.
Three
THE ACHIEVER: Success-oriented and pragmatic. Adaptive, excelling - driving and image-conscious I believed that it was my purpose to evolve. I would fit your expectations. I would prove to the world that the best of the best was attainable. At least, it was for me. So honestly, I felt perfectly comfortable under your conditional spotlight as if it was the only place I was truly designed to be. Your admiration was everything to me in that moment. Everything. I trusted that this stage was designed for me and my shoes were rooted confidently on the wooden platform. I was confident, if not anxious and worn thin. The only unfortunate thing was that I forgot the title of the play I was performing somewhere in between the endless cues and curtain calls. My lines were near perfect, but my sense of familiarity was somehow missing. What was my role again? What was it that I wanted to say? The thought was somehow uncomfortable. In reality, I had abandoned my wavering heart somewhere behind a parade mask of selected highlights before I even had the time to consider why.
By Kaitlin Christensen5 years ago in Psyche
Two
THE HELPER: Caring and Interpersonal. Demonstrative, generous - people-pleasing and possessive You need me, right? Surely that wasn’t a lie I conjured from my own imagination. I can see it in your eyes. You need help just as much as everyone else in this world. So please, rely on me. It’s okay. I’m here for you and always will be. Please, understand that there is no reason to shy away like that. You’re beautiful. You’re incredible. You’re valued. You’re everything. I’ll love every piece of you. Every single crevice. I promise. It won’t be hard. You’re everything to me. Once you believe that I mean those words sincerely, there won’t be anything left to fear.
By Kaitlin Christensen5 years ago in Psyche
10 Books to Read That will Make you Sound Smart
Ten little books to make you smart! Books to read to become smarter, Reading can make people smart, reading can broaden one's horizons, reading can cultivate sentiment, and reading can change destiny. So we still have to read more and read well.
By Muhiuddin Alam5 years ago in Psyche
On Fear and Suffering
Author's preface: Special thanks to writing colleague Samantha Drobac for inspiring this post with some questions she posed in response to two recent articles addressing the twin topics of fear and suffering. You can find more of her writings at my former home on Medium.com here. Also check out her fantastic publication on Medium No Echo which can be found here. She is credited with the "Q's" and "A-SD's" in the below. Sam's full piece where these questions and her answers first appeared can be found here.
By Everyday Junglist5 years ago in Psyche
'back to the future' letter #notetoselfafterlockdown
Backstory... Below is an entry I wrote as a mini time capsule diary a few weeks after the news of the pandemic in 2020. One year and a bit later, I am cleaning up my Google Drive and opened this document.
By 🇻🇳 Journey with Juju 🇦🇺5 years ago in Psyche
The Dead Don't Tell
“The Dead Don’t tell” The watery solution was very warm and thicker than she thought it would be. Naci could feel it painfully entering her lungs and filling them up like a human water balloon. “So, this is what it feels like to be reborn. Painful! Damn, it hurts! No wonder babies are born crying.” She thought to herself.
By Shannon Bush5 years ago in Psyche
I Would Never
Have you ever done something out of character? Something you never thought you would do? I don’t mean rock climbing or taking a cooking class. I mean done something so heinous you no longer recognize yourself. The devil staring back when you look in the mirror.
By Patrick Finney5 years ago in Psyche
A Horse Named Fish
My teen years were not good ones but you made them bearable but one memory stands out as the biggest impact on me today. I remember the feel of the cold steel against my soft pallet the taste of metalic and oil cleaner. I remember the tears burning hot down my cheeks, the press of the bark of my favorite tree pressing into my back. What I will never forget, is the warm sun shining on my face, so I open my eyes, and you standing there looking at me before I can pull the trigger and make the worst mistake I would ever have made. I ease the object of my potential demise out from between my lips as I look into your loving eyes. "I can’t do this anymore!" I said to you, to the universe, and I believed it. As I looked into your face, I knew I needed a proper goodbye. "OK, One more ride." I put it up and we rode. I let out every pain, all the anger; you never judge me, you were just there. The feel of your strong muscle as you move underneath me. Running my fingers through your sparse mane as I cry everything into your warm neck until the wracking sobs and screams become silent tears just streaming down my face.
By Kandice Weger-Herrera5 years ago in Psyche
Identity Crisis
Being of both Asian and Caucasian blood, I never really felt like I belonged to either race. Whether it's my Caucasian friends denouncing my Asian heritage or not accepting my other half. My Asian friends saying I'm too "White" and alienating me from a culture that I too possess. I always felt as if I was in limbo in terms of my identity. Holding many cultures within, however, not belonging to one. Throughout my childhood, I accepted that fact and moved forward. However, in college, it really weighed me down and forced me to reconsider my values and morals. I didn't understand why it affected me so much or why it mattered to people to point out what race I am as if I was a wine tasting test. Being not one to complain, instead, just go with the flow. I seem tranquil and calm on the outside, but there's a fire brewing on the inside, and with a roaring fire, the smoke has to escape somewhere. That being said, I wanted to find a method or a relief to these feelings bottled up inside me. A way that I can show others, I belong to both cultures. Through cooking, I hoped to accomplish that.
By Jeff Miller5 years ago in Psyche
