'Conversations with Friends' reminded me it's okay to be human
You might've heard of Sally Rooney's honest and raw best-selling novel, Normal People, but you may not have heard of her 2017 debut novel, Conversations with friends. The latter is the story of four characters and their confusing relationships, who seem to stand on the line between right and wrong without ever getting off balance.
Martina I.Published 8 days ago in Humans
"And the CNN Hero of the Year for 2011 is ..."
I looked around the spacious living room. The entire administrative staff from the Bumi Sehat center was crowded in, pairs of people wedged into chairs meant for one (Indonesian style), sitting cross legged on the floor, stretched out on the massive carved Chinese teak bed or leaning against the wooden walls of the joglo, or traditional Javanese wooden house.
Liz SinclairPublished 11 days ago in Humans
We Were Good Friends Until She Started Ghosting Me
Let me tell you a true story. It might be something that’s happened to you too, or you might be going through it now. I wasn’t aware there was a term for this behaviour until I read about a similar experience.
Miles EthertonPublished 13 days ago in HumansThree Days from Nowhere
We have fled the home of our ancestors with what we can carry in our hands and on our backs. My oldest child is five years old and she has no idea what horrors await her if we don't leave. Why? The Taliban are no longer coming, they are here amongst us. They began arriving in trucks a few days ago, shortly after the U. S. announced they would begin a final withdrawal by the end of August.
How Being a Plant Mom Transformed My Mindset for the Better
I used to be the worst plant mom you can imagine. My house plants always died, no matter how much I tried — or didn’t — to keep them alive. Every year, I gave this plant-owning business a try. Every year, I failed.
Kate FeathersPublished 24 days ago in Humans
Plastic
I used to be fake. Not in the layered cosmetics, profess to be something I’m not, “on Wednesdays we wear pink” kind of fake. I was that stealthy kind of fake; stealthy enough to slip under the radar and obscure the dramatic implications. The blank stares, eye rolling and general sideways squints from the general population made it easy to hide the parts of myself that catalyzed the aforementioned actions. If you’re inclined to provide a pass for this deceptively benign fakery, allow me to streamline: I was hiding who I was. The motivation wasn’t maleficent. The action was relatable and potentially, just … human. I wish that voided the fake, but it doesn’t. So, what does it mean to be fake or inauthentic? Why do we do it? What are the bi-products? And my favorite, what can happen when we fight the fake?
Lori MotolaPublished 27 days ago in Humans
Gilded Cages
"The greatness of humanity is not in being human, but in being humane” — Mahatma Gandhi I volunteer at an assisted living facility that costs around $10,000 a month to live in. While the interior of the building is a statement in elegance with the ambience of a 5 star hotel, the exterior is reminiscent of a medieval fortress complete with stone walls and a turret. I often wonder what thoughts cross the minds of residents when they see this huge, intimidating structure for the first time.
Yana BostongirlPublished 27 days ago in HumansWriting Letters to Strangers
Today I left a letter in a park for a stranger to find. It was typed on a single sheet of paper with a typewriter. It was spritzed with one of my favourite perfumes and tucked in an envelope, read me inscribed on the front.
Lauren ElisePublished about a month ago in Humans
Dating: Do's & Don'ts
Dating is complicated. So we simplified it for you. What to do and what not to do - the Dating edition.
Online Dating
Match.com, Tinder, JDate, and beyond. Welcome to the world wide web of dating. Are you ready to sign up?
Second Chance at Love
From breaking up after 3 years to divorcing after 50; we're here to tell you that you can love again.
Zig Zag # 17
One of the most surreal experiences I’ve had so far on my zig zag journey was the time I spent as an intern at a national security think tank.
Kathleen MajorskyPublished about 8 hours ago in HumansToxic Spell
Imagine you are lost in a maze filled with all of the stuff that happened in the past. That's how my life is. It all started when I left my last relationship. All I could think of was what I could have done better and how I thought I messed it all up. I cared too much,and had a lot of rage. I never showed the feelings that I was hiding inside. People will tell me all that time I messed up the best relationship I ever had. They didn't know how it felt to see the one you loved happy with someone else. To know that you are stuck in the past and may never get out. People think they understand me but they never will. I really want to get out of the past but I don't think I will. I don't think the relationship was ever meant to last. Neither do I think it was ever real. Still till this day I think of what could have been. A relationship that really had to end. It wasn't my first or my last. Just the worst part of my past. At that point I thought everything was going to end. In the end does anyone really care? We all lose feelings for people but some think it's best to stay. I never really had a first love, nor do I think it's going to happen soon. We are all so young and right now we don't even know what love is. Love is just a feeling. Like all the others you can gain or lose take or receive. I'm still not over her. I don't know what to do anymore. She and her ex broke up and we started to talk as I was losing feelings for her. She seems so helpless now. Why would anyone ever break her heart? She is so wonderful and amazing. I want her back and everything but I'm afraid she wouldn't want me back. Every time we talk she always brings up her ex and it's so painful for me to hear. I wonder if I can just leave. Not just school but the earth. She is still talking about him and they haven't been together for months. I think I'm falling for her. It's sad I had two people ask me out but she is holding me back. My friend told me she liked me the other day and I was sad. I know I should have been happy because she is so amazing and sweet, and is someone I know that would do anything for me. But I just can't get over my ex. My best friend told me to get over it because she used me. I think he is right but I don't know if I can. It's like she has that type of spell on me. I wonder if I should tell her. Her best friend said that she was never over me in the first place. I don't know what to do or think. I honestly don't want to be cheated on or lied to again. I don't know if I should believe her. When? When did she start liking me ? What should I do.. does it make me look bad if I stay? She’s just going to ruin us like she did in the past. Temptation is killing me. I was so hurt, and I don’t think I can endor that pain again. But when I look into her eyes everything comes back. Seeing her one last time wouldn’t hurt as much as I think it will.
Uphill Battle
The sun was beating down, it was midway through the summer holidays, I was only 9 years old as was my friend Jamie. The summer holidays had barely begun and we were gearing up for all kinds of mischief on our sleepy estate of houses. With only one bike between us and barely 200 metres of road to peruse, we had to get creative. Though we managed to fill the days pretending to be spies or soldiers hiding behind brick walls and tall bushes, today we found it was just too much. The heat was getting to use so we settled for an afternoon at another fiends house. Courtney was a sweet girl, a year older than us and had the entire Sky package meaning we could kill time in tears of laughter at the latest cartoon network shows. As it got dark I realised Jamies insistence to stay at Courtneys for as long as possible. Even at 9 it was obvious, he had a crush on her. His first crush in fact. We would both get in trouble if we were late home so I left, let my mum know I was stay at Jamies for the night and somehow managed to persuade Jamie back to his own home, bidding Courtney farewell. Little did we know what the next day would entail.
Ryan AppleyardPublished about 9 hours ago in HumansWhat Is The Worst Thing You Can Say To A Narcissist?
Narcissists know how to berate, belittle, and argue their pants off. They know how to put someone down and make that person feel like they are less than they really are.
Maxwell JordanPublished about 9 hours ago in Humans
Dating
Oh how exciting it is to date in 2018 you don't even have to know a guys name to get a picture of his junk! Go on a date? Heck no, instead we Netflix and chill and by "chill" they mean go straight to sex while a movie plays in the background to cover up the awkward noises your body makes during intercourse.
LeAnn MurchPublished about 10 hours ago in Humans
Make Him Worship You
Make Him Worship You is designed for women who are looking for a real relationship. Not just to chat up a good looking guy or get a man to text you, but to really be wanted and desired by someone you like. Of course, in the dating world there are a lot of scams and false promises.
Hello WorldPublished about 11 hours ago in Humans
THE BANANA LADY
* note: The following is a true story, with the real-life names of people involved changed. * The year was 2011. I had just gotten my license & became street legal. Though able to drive, I was still very young & nervous about being responsible for other peoples' safety in my car.
William LawrencePublished about 11 hours ago in HumansDear Alcohol
Dear A, This letter is to let you know I’m moving on. I won’t pretend that I didn’t live for your very essence. It was a perpetual sin of mine to lust over you, I couldn’t walk past you without entertaining the idea that you could illuminate a light in me that was constantly shunned by a wicked darkness. A darkness which I now realise was soaked by your ability to tantalise my foolishness. You were everything I wanted but not what I needed.
Mitchell HowardPublished about 11 hours ago in Humans
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