Childhood

(Part 2) To the Man I Was at 19: A Letter from You - 12 Years Wiser (What God Was Doing All Along)
Hey, You spent so much time wondering where God was in all of it. What you did not see then was that He was never far. Every moment you felt overlooked or misunderstood, He was guiding you through lessons that cannot be taught by comfort. You were not abandoned; you were being equipped.
By Peter Thwing - Host of the FST Podcast11 months ago in Confessions
(Part 1) To the Man I Was at 19: A Letter from You - 12 Years Wiser
Hey, You don’t realize it now, but the way you feel everything so strongly is not a flaw. It is proof that your heart works exactly as it should. You care deeply, you hurt deeply, and you see the world through empathy before logic. That is not weakness. It is the foundation of the man you will become.
By Peter Thwing - Host of the FST Podcast11 months ago in Confessions
5 Signs the Universe Wants You and Someone to Be Together
There are moments in life when it feels like the universe is trying to tell you something — quietly nudging you in a direction, sending little signs that whisper, “Pay attention.” Sometimes, that message is about love. You meet someone, and despite distance, timing, or logic, something keeps pulling you back together.
By SATPOWER11 months ago in Confessions
4 Signs You’ve Found Someone Your Soul Instantly Recognizes
There are moments in life that feel like destiny has quietly stepped into the room. You meet someone — maybe in the most unexpected place — and in an instant, something clicks. You can’t explain it logically. It’s not just attraction, not just admiration. It feels like recognition. Like your soul has just remembered someone it knew long before this lifetime.
By SATPOWER11 months ago in Confessions
What if You’re the Reason Nothing is changing?
Fortunately or unfortunately, we as individuals always feel responsible for our success or failure. Society tends to push such an individualistic mindset where we have to believe that everything depends on us 100% even when we know this not to be the case. Certainly this helps in terms of accountability but also comes with the downside of us always relying on ourselves even when that is counterproductive. There are instances where relying just on your own strength and wisdom isn’t enough, you need others to chyme in else you have no winning chance. Yet even when we recognize this, we still find ourselves doing everything.
By real Jema11 months ago in Confessions
Worked for a Secret Government Unit — Until They Erased My Memory
I used to think secret government programs were just conspiracy theories. The kind of stories people post online to make themselves feel important. I laughed at those people once. I don’t laugh anymore. Five years ago, I worked as a security technician for a government contractor just outside Arlington, Virginia. It was a good job—steady pay, good benefits, nothing strange. Until one day, a man in a gray suit visited my supervisor. After that meeting, my access level changed. I was given a new keycard, a confidentiality agreement thicker than a phone book, and a warning: “You’ll be working on something sensitive. Don’t ask questions.” That was the last normal day of my life. The facility I was transferred to didn’t officially exist. It wasn’t on any map, and no one I knew had ever heard of it. The drive there was done in a black van with tinted windows, no phones allowed. They took us underground—at least three levels below the surface. I remember the metallic smell, the constant humming sound, and the way no one made eye contact. My job was simple: monitor a security system that didn’t protect doors, but *people*. Each person had a small metal implant in the back of their neck. I thought it was for tracking, but then I saw the data streams—it wasn’t GPS. It was *neural*. We were monitoring brain activity. One night, I saw something I shouldn’t have. A test subject—labeled only as “Subject 14”—started screaming during a procedure. His vitals went off the chart. Then suddenly, all his readings flatlined. But the doctors didn’t panic. They just stared at the monitor, almost… waiting. Ten seconds later, his readings came back, perfectly normal. He sat up, calm, eyes empty, and said, “The reset worked.” I still get chills when I think about it. The next morning, my terminal access was revoked. My ID stopped working at the elevator. That evening, two men from “Internal Security” showed up at my apartment. They said there had been a *breach* and they needed to perform a “routine check.” One of them carried a small case with medical equipment. The next thing I remember is waking up two days later in my bed. My head was pounding. My phone, computer, everything—gone. My company email was deleted, and my job portal said my contract had ended six months earlier. I thought it was a mistake… until I saw my reflection in the mirror. There was a small scar behind my left ear. I went to a doctor. The scan showed traces of surgical interference—something metallic had been inserted, then removed. The doctor said it looked “governmental” and refused to get involved. That’s when I realized the truth: they hadn’t fired me. They had *erased* me. Over the next few months, I started getting flashes—short, vivid images I couldn’t explain: a bright room, a red light, a woman’s voice saying “you shouldn’t have seen that.” Sometimes, when I hear high-frequency sounds, my vision blurs and those images return. I tried to contact a few former coworkers, but their numbers were disconnected. One of them, a man named Harris, was listed as “deceased” online. When I visited the address on his file, an elderly couple told me no one by that name had ever lived there. I’ve stopped looking for answers. I know they’re watching me. My internet sometimes disconnects for no reason, and my phone battery drains even when it’s off. A friend who works in cybersecurity told me it’s possible my device is being accessed remotely—but he refused to talk more after running a scan. So why am I writing this? Because lately, my memories are fading again. I forget names, places, faces. I’ve started recording everything I remember, hoping that if they come for me again, someone—anyone—will find this story and know I was real. If you’re reading this and you work for any government contractor, remember this: curiosity isn’t just dangerous—it’s forbidden. And if you ever wake up with a scar behind your ear and no idea how it got there… run.
By America today 12 months ago in Confessions
Secret Letter
I never told anyone but Mark, an alter and Spiritual ground, what happened to me those first two years after brain surgery between 1998 and 2000. In the gentle year of the Rabbit (1999), a year after the surgery, I came in contact with the natural and kind demon known to Catholism as Michael. What had happend was small and uninteresting to the surface, but for the inside of my head, it was a war ready to be layered over and at the soft age of seven, forgotten about.
By Parsley Rose 12 months ago in Confessions
The Two Breads That Saved a Soul
The Bread of Faith: The Story of Abu Nasr Al-Iyad BY ubaid Once upon a time, there lived a man named Abu Nasr Al-Iyad. He was a poor man who struggled each day to provide for his wife and two young children. Poverty had wrapped its chains around him so tightly that hope seemed to fade with every passing day. One morning, his children lay weak and crying from hunger. His wife, pale and helpless, tried to comfort them, but her own stomach had long been empty. Unable to bear the sight of his family’s suffering, Abu Nasr left his home, his heart heavy with sorrow and despair. As he wandered aimlessly, he came across a wise and kind scholar named Sheikh Ahmad bin Miskeen. Seeing the pain etched on Abu Nasr’s face, the Sheikh gently asked, “My son, why do you look so burdened?” Abu Nasr replied with tears in his eyes, “O Sheikh, I am crushed under the weight of poverty. My family starves, and I can do nothing.” The scholar smiled kindly and said, “Come with me, and I will show you something that may change your fate.” They walked together until they reached the seashore. There, the Sheikh handed Abu Nasr a fishing net and said, “Perform two units of prayer, call upon the name of Allah, and then cast this net into the sea.” Abu Nasr did as he was told. To his amazement, when he pulled the net out of the water, a large fish was caught in it. The Sheikh instructed him, “Go to the market, sell this fish, and buy food for your family. Allah has provided for you.” Grateful and filled with hope, Abu Nasr hurried to the market, sold the fish, and with the money bought two stuffed flatbreads—one savory and one sweet. Remembering the kindness of the Sheikh, he returned to him and said, “O Sheikh, please accept one of these breads as a token of my gratitude.” But the wise man smiled and said, “My son, I helped you for Allah’s sake, not for a reward. These breads are your family’s right—go and feed them.” Touched by his words, Abu Nasr turned back toward home. But on his way, he came across a poor woman sitting by the roadside, weeping. Beside her sat a frail child, his face pale and his eyes sunken from hunger. Abu Nasr looked at the two breads in his hands, then at the woman and her child. He whispered to himself, “My wife and children are hungry... but so are they. Is their pain any less than ours?” Tears welled in his eyes. At last, he stepped forward and handed both breads to the woman. “Take these,” he said softly. “Eat, and feed your son.” The woman’s face lit up with gratitude, and her child smiled for the first time in days. Abu Nasr felt a strange peace in his heart, though he knew he was returning home empty-handed. As he walked through the streets, lost in thought, he heard a man calling out, “Is there anyone who knows Abu Nasr Al-Iyad? I must find him!” People pointed toward him and said, “There he is!” The caller hurried over and said, “Twenty years ago, your father entrusted me with thirty thousand dirhams. I have searched for you ever since. Today, by the will of Allah, I have found you. Take what is rightfully yours.” Stunned and overjoyed, Abu Nasr accepted the money. Overnight, his life changed. He built homes, expanded his trade, and became one of the city’s wealthy men. But unlike before, his heart remained humble. He gave generously in charity, sometimes donating a thousand dirhams at once, always remembering his days of hunger. Years later, Abu Nasr had a dream—a dream so vivid that it felt more real than life itself. He saw himself standing on the Day of Judgment, before a grand scale of justice. His deeds were being weighed—good on one side, sins on the other. To his horror, the side of sins was heavier. He cried out, “What about my charity? The gold and silver I gave for Allah’s sake?” But the angels replied, “Those deeds were tainted with pride and the desire to be seen. They hold little weight today.” Tears streamed down his face. “Then how will I be saved?” he asked. Suddenly, a voice said, “There are still two small deeds left uncounted.” Then, the two breads he had once given to the hungry woman were brought forth and placed on the scale of good deeds. The balance began to tip—but only slightly. Next, the woman’s tears of gratitude were added to the scale, and the side of goodness grew heavier. Finally, the child’s innocent smile—born of those two simple breads—was placed upon the scale. The weight of that pure, selfless moment overpowered all his sins. A voice declared, “This man is saved!” When Abu Nasr awoke from the dream, his eyes were wet with tears. He whispered to himself, “O Abu Nasr, it was not your gold or wealth that saved you—it was those two small breads you gave for Allah’s sake.” --- Moral of the Story Never look down upon a small act of kindness. Even the simplest deed done with sincerity can outweigh years of grand but hollow gestures. True charity lies not in wealth or display, but in the quiet goodness that expects no reward—only the pleasure of the Almighty.
By Ubaid 12 months ago in Confessions
Chuck Schumer and the Government Shutdown: What’s Happening and Why It Matters
The United States is once again facing a government shutdown caused by a political standoff over federal funding and spending priorities. The shutdown has stretched into several weeks, with no clear resolution in sight. Federal employees are going unpaid, government services are disrupted, and frustration among citizens is growing as Congress struggles to agree on a plan to reopen the government. At the center of the political battle stands Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. As the top Democrat in the Senate, Schumer plays a critical role in shaping his party’s strategy and negotiating with Republican leaders and the White House. His leadership decisions have made him a key figure in determining how long the shutdown will last and what kind of deal might eventually bring it to an end. Schumer’s approach to the crisis combines firm resistance and strategic negotiation. He and his Democratic colleagues argue that certain Republican funding bills contain unacceptable policy changes or spending cuts that would harm essential programs. Schumer has blocked several GOP proposals in the Senate, insisting that any plan to reopen the government must be fair, balanced, and protect American workers and families. His critics, however, accuse him of using the shutdown as political leverage and preventing the passage of bills that could quickly restore government operations. Behind the scenes, Schumer’s team has been working tirelessly to coordinate Democratic votes and craft proposals that can win bipartisan support. His office has served as a command center for legislative strategy, with daily meetings focused on messaging, negotiations, and public communication. The challenge lies in balancing political pressure from within his party with the urgent need to find common ground that can pass both the Senate and the House of Representatives. The situation is further complicated by the White House’s stance. The President has made it clear that certain policy demands must be met before agreeing to reopen the government, which has limited the space for negotiation. This has left Schumer and other congressional leaders caught between intense political divisions and the practical need to keep government functioning. Public frustration continues to grow as the shutdown’s effects spread. Thousands of federal employees have been furloughed or forced to work without pay, airports and national parks have experienced staffing shortages, and vital programs have slowed down. The longer the impasse continues, the greater the impact on the economy and public trust in government institutions. ### Common Questions People Are Asking **Why is Chuck Schumer blocking bills to reopen the government?** Schumer believes that some Republican proposals would set harmful precedents or include spending priorities that Democrats cannot accept. He argues that approving narrow funding bills without addressing broader issues would weaken his party’s negotiating position and fail to protect key programs. **Is Chuck Schumer responsible for the shutdown?** Responsibility for the shutdown is shared among multiple political actors. Schumer leads the Senate Democrats, but the crisis is the result of deep disagreements between both parties and the executive branch. Each side blames the other for refusing to compromise, making it difficult to assign blame to a single person. **How long has the shutdown lasted, and what are its effects?** The shutdown has lasted several weeks, with repeated failed votes in the Senate. Many government employees remain unpaid, public services are delayed, and agencies are struggling to maintain operations. The longer the situation drags on, the more serious its social and economic consequences become. **Will Schumer negotiate a deal to end the shutdown?** Schumer has expressed willingness to negotiate, but he insists that any deal must be fair and include reasonable compromises. Whether an agreement can be reached depends on political calculations, the willingness of both parties to make concessions, and the overall public pressure to restore normal government functions. ### Outlook for the Coming Weeks The future of the shutdown depends on how the political negotiations evolve in the coming days. Schumer’s leadership will continue to be a decisive factor. If Democrats and Republicans can agree on a short-term funding bill that avoids controversial policy changes, the government could reopen soon. However, if both sides continue to hold firm to their demands, the shutdown could extend even longer. In many ways, this crisis reflects the broader state of American politics—highly polarized, deeply divided, and driven by competing visions of how the government should serve its people. Chuck Schumer’s role in this standoff highlights the difficult balance between standing firm on principles and recognizing the urgent need to keep the government running. The outcome of this confrontation will not only affect federal workers and public services but also shape the political landscape heading into the next election cycle.
By America today 12 months ago in Confessions
When the Mirror Learns to Speak.
When you’re little and start showing signs of adolescence, it’s both a shy and awakening stage. You don’t quite know who you’re becoming yet — you’re caught between childhood and womanhood, between wanting to be invisible and wanting to be understood. If you have a caring family, that transition feels easier, almost gentle. They guide you through it without judgement. But when your family is the type that points and questions, conforming becomes a way of survival.
By Gladys Kay Sidorenko12 months ago in Confessions
The Weight of Labels
I did not get angry because I was attacked. I got angry because I felt invisible. That is what labeling does. It reduces a human being—a soul with thoughts, experiences, and convictions—into a set of categories that can be dismissed before they even speak.
By Peter Thwing - Host of the FST Podcast12 months ago in Confessions
When Trust Turns Venom
There’s something sacred about loyalty. It’s one of those quiet values that makes human connection feel safe. Whether it comes from family, friends, or partners, loyalty has a warmth that can’t be bought or faked. It’s the invisible thread that holds relationships together — the reason we trust, relax, and believe.
By Atiqbuddy12 months ago in Confessions