Humanity
It's Time For a Change and a New Home!
My family and I had wanted to upsize for many years, but my wife and our neighbor had a verbal agreement that neither family could move, given how "tight" both families were. Countless friends and family preached against upsizing as it meant we would collect more junk. Try as a might; I could not convince my wife to consider moving away from our neighbor as she would not break the agreement. However, as everyone knows, the pandemic has taken every minor issue and exacerbated it, leading to our neighbor opting out of the informal deal and deciding to move to a new home. The reasons were many but originated with the disappointment with the elementary school system and the homeowner's associations' disdain for any shed additions to our houses. While my wife was upset at first, we both quickly realized it was all for the better. We would now be free to begin the next phase of our lives.
By Jeffrey Clos4 years ago in Confessions
Sunflower Summer
On the surface things can seem so calm. Like the outdoors when the morning sun rises and the world seems to move just a little bit slower. A sense of serene takes over. It allows you to soak up the energy and connect to a universal place. Like a sunflower using photosynthesis to obtain the nutrients it needs to flourish.
By Meegan Swan4 years ago in Confessions
A Mother's Transition. Top Story - November 2021.
Before I became pregnant, I was unaware of the option to skip labor when giving birth. All my prior experiences with the process of bringing a human being into this world followed somewhat of a formula; first a person creates life inside of them for nine months, then the ever-dramatic cramping and breaking of the water occurs, then there’s a chaotic rush to the hospital, then the hours of blood-curdling screams of agony and buckets of sweat, and finally a tiny bundle of joy emerges. On every television show that tackled the baby topic, and in my own life when my sister had my niece, the formula ensued. However, my journey into motherhood differed greatly from my preconceived gatherings.
By Jules Day (they/them) 4 years ago in Confessions
How I Benefited From Covid
[The following was submitted for the 2021 Hubert Butler Essay Prize, where it was awarded a runner-up prize. The context is the essay was to be titled “ “During the plague I came into my own” (Anthony Hecht). Who or what benefited from Covid-19?” As such, the essay begins in reference to that title.]
By Conor Matthews4 years ago in Confessions
The book of love
I was infuriated, I always was when I spoke to my mother. Her actions had been proof of my insignificance since before I was born. I had always been viewed as something she could use and manipulate to get what she wanted; Even the way I was brought into this world was just her manipulating my dad into staying with her. She told me that once, but she would never admit it sober.
By Indalia4 years ago in Confessions
Conquered For Me
It was another day the wind was blowing, and the streets were full of debris and some trash laying around here and there with cigarette butts in the dead grass around the very few trees around. The traffic is always heavy on this street, just as bad as the riff-raff, not the best part of town on Colfax, but it's where I had to be at the time for my journey to begin in the right direction. I walked in, and the string that looked worn was thin rope almost as hemp rang the bells tied to it when the door shut. I sat down and observed for a minute till I focused on my phone to take my mind off being nervous. The lady at the front desk with the small window in front of it announced, "May I help you?' I stood up and said, "I am here for Erica. I was supposed to have my first session at 10 am". I glanced at the clock, and it was about 10 minutes till "ok, I will let her know. What is your name, please?" she asked before she disappeared behind the corner. "Lisa, "I had spoken loudly for her to hear me behind the walls, for I could hear her walking in the hallway on the other side. I felt as if the building may have been around before I was born, which was in the ninety's. A young lady with long black curly hair and glasses came out the door and said my name. I smiled and didn't make direct eye contact. I looked more towards the door I was about to walk through. As we approached her office that was literally 4 steps away, I began to smell Zen; it was very calming; the lights were dim; she had a bookshelf and a few pictures of art on the wall of painted flowers. I did not observe any pictures of the family though her office was spotless and organized. "Please take a seat" She pointed to the chair. Which was close to the wall on the right, instead of the ones directly in front of her desk. The chair I sat in was more comfortable and durable than the ones in the lobby. It was made of leather and felt brand new almost. "So let me introduce myself," she stated, Beginning to tell me how long she has been a therapist and how long specifically she has been with Aurora mental health and went over the confidentially. As I began to speak, I could feel my face getting red, and then I began to talk faster, and before you know it, a whole hour had gone by. She had not said anything besides maybe one sentence, and I can't even remember what it was. Still, at the end of it all, I recall that she was very calm and did not give me any awkward looks or make me feel uneasy. Erica politely let me know the time is up and let me know that usually, the first sessions go really fast, for this is typically a lot depending on the situations the person has been through. Erica had not done much but listened and looked at me the whole time with the emotion of understanding. Honestly, I felt relief. I felt as if my mind was a soda pop that had been shaken over and over again, and finally, I was able to take off the cap. I never realized how much I had been holding in till that day. I began seeing Erica once a week, I began to notice the traits she had as well. She would always have 1 pen next to her mouse and not a pen holder with several, and she would also always have a book open on her back desk when I came in. Then after about two months, it had gone down to every two weeks, and I began to notice there were becoming fewer and fewer books on her shelf after four months, and that was because she was transferring to Denver County. Before she had left, she introduced me to this book called Daring Greatly by Brene Brown, and I did enjoy it. Erica was very humble, sincere, and wise for her age. Very inspiring, for she was not much older than me, maybe about 6 years at the most. She was someone I confided in, and she made me notice the reasoning behind my flaws and how to cope the healthy way. The most significant discovery I made about myself was through my controlling compulsiveness. I was very selfless to the extent to where I was putting others before myself. Being a great mother, but when it came to working and friends and my relationships, it made me vulnerable to depression. Erica had taught me how to balance my anxiety and take a step back and acknowledge before I take another step forward. She really made me realize what I am passionate about, and that is appropriately applying my selflessness in a different direction.
By Lisa Aragon4 years ago in Confessions
Digging up the Past
The air burned like acid in the back of his throat. It was dryer than he remembered, denoting the fact that some things did, indeed, change. His cracked and comfortable leather boots scuffed up clouds of dust every time he took a step. The incline wasn't much to put the perspiration on his brow, the journey could do that alone. The sun was a merciless task master as it drove him to his destination. The trees looked as empty as his soul, barren of all life except for that stringent will to keep standing. Their position was the same; some things didn't change at all.
By Aleisha D Dinisi4 years ago in Confessions
Micah versus the hawk.
It was a sunny afternoon, and my buddy and I were chilling outside sunbathing enjoying each other's company alongside Micah. Thank goodness she put her flight feathers to good use that day and flew under my buddy's truck all the way in the back parking lot. Oh my goodness that was a frightening day. I want a male that looks like her.
By Angelina F. Thomas4 years ago in Confessions
Casino One Arm Bandit
That dam Casino slot machine is calling my name! It's that regular donation time to the lottery corporation, and it's calling me. "David, David, come David" You can almost picture it. A dark cloud resembling a slot machine hovering over my head, doing the collapsing of the index finger gesture! It's that time, David! It's that dam one-armed bandit calling my name again! The same machine that keeps stealing my money!
By Dave Wettlaufer4 years ago in Confessions
THE ACCIDENT
As a young family in the Los Angeles area with two young children, paying rent and putting money in someone else's pockets was not what we wanted. Owning our own home was our goal. Did not earn much money at the time but managed to save up a small down payment to put towards a house. We could not afford a home in the Los Angeles area, so we looked at the high desert in the Victorville, Hesperia, and Apple Valley area. We found a small three-bedroom, two-bath home in Hesperia. The property was on 1.1 acres of land and was considered horse property. It was a house on 1.1 acres of sandy dirt, no plants, no grass, and no trees.
By Alvin Rivera 4 years ago in Confessions
