humanity
For better or for worse, relationships reveal the core of the human condition.
Beauty
"Aunty Seun, we can't take that bike," Kemi lashed out in disgust. "Why?" I asked. She replied,"The Okada man is ugly." The above dialogue transpired between me and a certain younger friend of mine, to say I was bewildered would be a restrained statement of the century. For a moment, as brief as a flicker of light, I became lost for words, but went alongside her to get a motorbike man who, to her, is better looking or good looking. I still wish I could get into the wires of her head and figure out why the external features of a man who we'll likely forget, whose service was to move us from our inertia to our destination, seemed to be important to her.
By Seun Ayorinde7 years ago in Humans
Fishman Chapter Eight
“Hi Bobby!” Sarah smiles at me as if we were still married. From the way she holds me hands and pecks my cheek, makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. I can never bring myself to hate her, even after her betrayal. A part of my soul still lives within her. Seeing her again for the first time in years just makes me want to smile.
By Chloe Gilholy7 years ago in Humans
On Cold Concrete
It was ten o’clock at night when Peter was getting off his shift at the popular pizza joint in his neighborhood. It was the same time every night for the last three years. He was working his way through college courses to earn his degree and get a better paying job. He was single and twenty-four years old with nothing much to show for his life except a bank account with money he was saving for a rainy day.
By Brandi Payne7 years ago in Humans
The Art of Dating: Paris vs. New York
When it comes to dating, Paris and New York are like two famous men: both come with reputations that precede them. On one side of the Atlantic we have have the elitist Frenchmen, self-proclaimed ardent lovers who, paradoxically, reject the entire concept of “dating” as a restricting endeavor where romance goes to die.
By Dbag Dating7 years ago in Humans
Acts Of Kindness
That old ‘89 Ford Ranger was full of character. Until my dad fixed it, The Ranger drove for months in four-wheel drive, low range, 4th gear, because the rest of the transmission was shot. There was no need for keys, the doors didn’t lock, and the engine started with just a turn of the butterfly ignition. It was missing the handle on the curbside door, making its driver be a gentleman and get out to open the door for his passengers. The wheels were all but bald as wires poked from the driver side wheel and the break pads were all but gone. This metallic steed wasn’t large, but it did all it was ever asked of.
By Glen Hance7 years ago in Humans
Chapter 1
1/15/18 I believed I had reached the plateau of stability as an adult. Thirty-two years old with the highest paying job I had ever acquired, and a relationship with a man that I truly believed would last much longer than four months. I thought I had found the peaceful, stable, path that would make me happy, but then it all fell apart the way it does every time I start to believe in the stability of my circumstances. In the destruction of the external imagery of who I was going to be, my identity became a mash of uncertainty. I lost myself in holding on to the boy and job, warping myself into whatever would keep the fantasy real. But now in the third month of the isolationist life of unemployment, I can’t figure out what to do next. I can’t go back to who I was, and I don’t know who to become.
By Siedeh Rezaei-Kamalabad7 years ago in Humans
Another Word For
In the beginning things were pretty good. It was fun and I knew things were going faster then what I was comfortable with. Our first date we spent hours talking and we seemed to like the same things and had similar dislikes. Everything seemed amazing and went very well. I was happy that I had found a caring family man! Because of our age, we decided early in our relationship to start a family. After all, I did find my soulmate, as he called me. We moved in together and we became pregnant with our first child together, a son. He would text me several times and hour how much he loved me- I love you. I asked him nicely to stop the frequency and that was apparently a huge hit for him. I was working and I couldn’t keep responding to them all! He didn’t understand. Things progressed and as things were brought up, suggestions were made and I received pushback, more red flags started popping up. Random things that did not make sense to my over logical thinking.
By Danielle Rae7 years ago in Humans
Elders Need to Follow the Youth and Tell Their Stories
When I grew up I was always told to listen my elders. I’m sure a lot of people are still taught this today, but what have our elders done to deserve our attention? With the changes that we’re going through in society today should this still be acceptable? Traditions change and our world is very different from what it was before. Some of our elders remained silent and were complacent when they saw wild injustices in their lives. To this day some are still withholding their stories. Some of our elders have perpetrated hate and taught it to future generations. I realize that not all of our elders are the same and times were different back in the day. I also know that not everyone can be a superhero, but everyone should at least have a conscience. Change has to start somewhere. We’ve seen a ton of growth in social awareness in today’s youth but this change could have happened much earlier. Maybe it’s the seniors that need to listen and understand the youth rather than the other way around.
By Brian Anonymous7 years ago in Humans
The Mask
That beautiful mask I wear upon my face, like who am I going to be today? Will I be the perfect girl or will I be that beautiful disaster? Will I be that person that I normally am or hiding in the shadows? Will I be who I really want to be? Or will I be what others want me to be?
By Sheena Ann7 years ago in Humans
Why One Tattoo Wasn't Enough
Tattooing has a history all its own, from tribes decorating their bodies with stories and milestones, to being viewed as unsavory and the underground in Western society, and now to an expression of art and self-identity. Looking at any continent on our planet, tattoos and the people that continue to create them have shaped the way we tell our stories, helped handle difficult aspects of our lives, and to remember the paths our lives have taken. From the far East of Japan and Thailand, to name a few, to the Pacific Islands of New Zealand and Samoa, all the way to African nations such as Togo and Burkina Faso. Heading over the Atlantic or Pacific, you will be introduced to South America and North America where tattooing culture has tribal roots in the Amazon, to the more modern styling from the mid- to late-1800s in the United States. From wanderers, vagrants, sailors, and military men to the modern human canvases that pass by us daily, tattooing is a piece of our human identity and can be found in many tribes, cultures, and nations. Today, a new breed of tattooing is around for many reasons, it is not just a rite of passage or a story to tell anymore. It is self-identity, individualism, and a full art form.
By Steven Altman7 years ago in Humans
