humanity

Humanity begins at home.

The Ultimate Betrayal Pt.1
The Betrayal That Cracked Our Family Like a Boom Whumpf! The news landed in my inbox like a sack of bricks. A text from my cousin, Sarah, a jumble of words that sent a cold dread slithering down my spine. My Great-Grandma Millie, the woman who dispensed wisdom alongside slices of her legendary pecan pie, was in a nursing home. The worry gnawed at me, a persistent buzz in my brain. But what came next was a revelation that would crack the foundation of our family like a** boom.**
By Taeja Williams2 years ago in Families
The Ultimate Betrayal Pt.2
Dust Motes in a Silent Symphony Dust motes danced a jig in the neglected sunlight creeping through Grandma's dusty windows. Silence pressed down heavy, a stark contrast to the woman who once filled this space with booming laughter and the soul-warming scent of her legendary buttermilk biscuits. Grief threatened to drown me, but beneath the sorrow, a spark flickered to life. My firecracker of a grandma, a woman who'd stared down dust storms and Depression-era hardships with a withering look, wouldn't have gone gentle into that good night. Neither would I.
By Taeja Williams2 years ago in Families
A Slow Sunday
So last night I had a self-proclaimed "night-howler" up in the middle of the night for a few hours and didn't get my full amount of sleep, but hey... that is normal around here. I was surprised, however, when no one woke me up at the crack of dawn!
By Adora Hooper2 years ago in Families
"Every Love Story is a Ghost Story". Content Warning.
I’ve been reading a book of great importance to me. It’s not the content that’s important so much as the person the book belonged to, but we’ll get to that. This is perhaps the fifth or sixth time I have picked this book up and started through it. Sometimes I finish it, sometimes I don’t, sometimes I skip around and read only what I want. No matter the time I devote to it, I always find something new. David Foster Wallace had a way of doing that with his writing. Whether it’s because his sentences can take pages to reach a period, or his lexicon leaves you reaching for your dictionary every few words, or because the works he wrote were layered and complex, revealing small personal truths over a longer period of processing and digestion, DFW consistently makes people slow down and think. For better or worse, Wallace highlighted the most depraved aspects of humanity and his soul. Oblivion is no exception to this rule.
By kp2 years ago in Families
Not Just an Aunt,
Today, had she lived...my Aunt 'Cile (short for Lucile) would have been 100 years old! It boggles the mind to be old enough to think of Centurian milestones in the people that had a larger-than-life influence on you since birth. But today, I pay respect to her and all she has done for me and her other nieces and nephews. Also to honor the person she was as an individual.
By Shirley Belk2 years ago in Families
Do you know why your skin color is black or white? what are their benefits?
introduction Two individuals from diverse regions of the world coincidentally cross paths. They discover they have numerous common hobbies and interests, even sharing a preference for the same types of food. However, what truly astonishes them is their striking physical resemblance - so much so that one could mistake them for twins if they hadn't been brought up on separate continents by entirely different families. Despite their uncanny likeness, they are not biologically related.
By naol abraham2 years ago in Families
The Benjamin Act
In the heart of a bustling city, where the rhythm of life often drowned out the cries of the unseen, a miracle unfolded in the most unlikelyIn the heart of a of places. It was a cold winter's night when fate led a young woman named Emily to the alley behind a rundown apartment building. Her footsteps echoed in the empty space as she hurried home from her late shift at the diner. The wind howled, carrying the whispers of forgotten dreams, and as she passed by a trash can, something stirred within her.Curiosity mingled with trepidation as Emily approached the source of the faint sound. With trembling hands, she lifted the lid, revealing a sight that shattered her heart into a million pieces. Nestled amidst the discarded remnants of urban life lay a tiny bundle, wrapped in a tattered cloth. Tears welled in Emily's eyes as she reached down and gently lifted the bundle, cradling it close to her chest.The baby, no more than a few hours old, gazed up at her with wide, innocent eyes. Despite the harshness of its surroundings, there was a sense of purity in that gaze, a silent plea for love and warmth. Emily's heart ached as she realized the cruelty of the world that could abandon such a precious soul.Without hesitation, Emily made a decision that would change both their lives forever. She bundled the baby in her coat, shielding it from the biting cold, and hurried back to her small apartment. As she crossed the threshold, she whispered a promise to the infant in her arms – a promise to protect, to nurture, and to love with all her heart.Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, as Emily poured her soul into caring for the abandoned child. She named him Benjamin, after her own father, a man whose kindness had shaped her into the person she was today. With each passing day, Benjamin flourished under Emily's tender care, his laughter filling the small apartment with joy.But amidst the laughter, there lingered a shadow of uncertainty. Emily knew that their happiness was fragile, a delicate bubble that could burst at any moment. She lived in constant fear of the day when the authorities would come knocking, demanding answers about the child's origins. Yet, she couldn't bear to part with Benjamin, couldn't imagine a life without him by her side.As Benjamin grew, so did the bond between them, a bond forged in the fires of adversity and nurtured by unconditional love. He was her reason for waking each morning, her beacon of hope in a world that often seemed devoid of light. Together, they carved out a life filled with simple pleasures – bedtime stories, makeshift picnics in the park, and endless cuddles on the couch.But fate has a way of testing even the strongest of bonds, and one fateful day, Emily's worst nightmare came true. It began with a knock on the door, followed by the authoritative voices of the social workers demanding entrance. Panic seized Emily's heart as she clutched Benjamin to her chest, her mind racing with thoughts of escape.But there was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide from the truth. With tears streaming down her cheeks, Emily recounted the events of that cold winter's night, the night that had brought Benjamin into her life. She pleaded with the social workers, begged them to spare her the agony of losing the child she had come to love as her own.For a moment, there was silence, as the social workers exchanged solemn glances. Then, to Emily's astonishment, one of them spoke in a voice filled with compassion. They had seen the love in Emily's eyes, the devotion in her actions, and they knew that Benjamin could ask for no better mother than her.In that moment, Emily felt a weight lift from her shoulders, a burden she had carried for far too long. Benjamin was hers to keep, hers to love and cherish for all eternity. And as she held him close, she knew that their love would endure, unbroken and unyielding, against all odds.In the end, it was not the circumstances of his birth that defined Benjamin, but the love that surrounded him, a love that transcended boundaries of blood and lineage. And as he grew into a man, he would carry that love within him, a beacon of hope in a world that so often forgot the power of compassion.
By Jose Rios 2 years ago in Families
A Trip of Light: The Narrative of Martha Agnes
Stepping off her small bed and pulling a bulky cardigan over her nightgown, Lena headed towards the top of the narrow, steep staircase that led from the attic bedroom to the kitchen below. She listened intently, trying to make out the quiet voices coming from the lower level.
By lahsen ezahouani2 years ago in Families
The Inkwell Warrior: Maya's Battle Against Literary Prejudice "2"
but maya didn't back down. "We need a dedicated course on African Literature," she argued, her voice gaining strength with each word. "We need events showcasing the vibrant tapestry of African culture, not just a tokenistic festival thrown together during Black History Month!"
By Ahmed Latreche 2 years ago in Families
The Inkwell Warrior: Maya's Battle Against Literary Prejudice
The humid Georgia air clung to Maya's skin like a second shirt as she navigated the bustling campus of State University. It was her freshman year, and everything felt exhilaratingly new – the towering brick buildings, the energetic shouts across the quad, the sheer diversity of faces. Coming from a small, predominantly white town in rural Georgia, Maya had never encountered such a melting pot of cultures. Yet, amidst the initial excitement, a knot of unease tightened in her stomach. She was the only Indian student in most of her classes, and the subtle glances, the whispered jokes – they felt like pinpricks on her exposed skin.
By Ahmed Latreche 2 years ago in Families
From the Laundromat to the OR: The Heart of Dr. Elias Thorne
The rhythmic clatter of Mrs. Thorne's sewing machine was a lullaby that both soothed and gnawed at Elias. Soothed because it meant his mother was near, gnawed because it represented the constant struggle that defined their lives. Their cramped apartment above Mr. Lee's Laundromat pulsated with the city's frantic energy, but inside, their world was a cocoon woven from dreams and desperation.
By Ahmed Latreche 3 years ago in Families
Whispers of Legacy: The Tremont Family Saga
Title: Whispers of Legacy Chapter One: Roots In the heart of the verdant countryside, nestled amidst rolling hills and fields of golden wheat, stood the modest homestead of the Hartleys. It was here, in the quaint village of Oakvale, that the story of the family dynasty began.
By Priya Patel3 years ago in Families