humanity
Humanity begins at home.
Unexpected Miracle
Living your life as a teenager is hard enough... especially when your life gets turned upside down within nine months. As a kid I was the social butterfly, until my brother turned on me. Growing up with an addict brother was different. But I never let it get me down, I still went to friend's houses, birthday parties, and skating rinks with my friends. Then one day after school, my mom had to work late and my dad was always at the shop till at least 9 o’clock. But I thought my brother was home so I was good. Then an hour later, he comes barreling through the front door like a bat out of hell, screaming at me for making a mess. I could tell he wasn't right. In his eyes there was nothing. Like being in a crowded room, where you don’t know anyone. The more anger he had in his eyes the closer he stepped towards me. Finally I ran in to the wall, no where else to run to. Then it happened. He struck me with all his strength. Over and over again I felt his whole body weight hit me over and over again. The one I was supposed to be able to look up to, the one I thought I could trust, turned on me. Made me his personal punching bag for the night.
By Hanah Evans8 years ago in Families
Deadbeat Dads
Like a double-edged sword, the parenting standard for men and women, especially in the minority communities, across the country has been proven bias. The concept of a deadbeat dad in our society is one that labels a father who is not in the child’s life as a second-rate citizen. But what are the circumstances behind this estranged relationship? Is it deliberate? Is it intentional?
By Chris Ricks8 years ago in Families
I Am Just a Worthless Stay at Home Mom
A couple years ago I needed to get a job. After looking through the wanted ads and checking out all the job listings in my area, I realized to my shock that I had no marketable skills whatsoever. I was a grown woman in my late thirties and the only place I was qualified to work turned out to be a retail store for little more than minimum wage. You see, I had been a stay-at-home mom for the last 15 years.
By Lana Hutchinson8 years ago in Families
Be Thankful for What You've Got
Sometimes, in this crazy, fast-moving world, we can forget to be grateful. Sure, life is stressful, and it can be easy to wish things were different, but we should always try to take the time to be grateful for what we have, and not sit pondering on what we don't have.
By Billi Keogh8 years ago in Families
The Scary Monster Called "Different From"
Today, my son began talking about his upcoming school year, mentioning things such as who would his homeroom teacher be, what friends would be in his homeroom, and so on. He then said he hated school last year. Perhaps if he said this before August 12, it might have gone over my head. We have all said "I hate this," or "I hate that" as if it were no big thing. But today, it chilled me to the bone, sounding like nails down a chalkboard. I interrupted and said, "Please don't say hate so easily. You don't really hate those things. It takes a lot to hate, and it's such a strong word, so please try not saying it like you just did."
By Vince Bandille8 years ago in Families
Growing Up In the 90s
Growing up in the 90s was a fun time! I miss the good old days of playing with the infamous Skip-It toy and eating Sodalicious fruit snacks—boy… those were the days! I grew up in a simpler time, where we had dial-up internet instead of Wifi, and VHSs instead of DVDs.
By Nicole (Nikki) M.8 years ago in Families
Overcoming Childhood Abuse
Will you listen? Why I'm Writing This Article The phrase “overcoming childhood abuse” sounds glamorous, doesn’t it? It sounds like I’ve climbed some kind of really tough mountain and am now sitting pretty on top of it with a beautiful view. Wouldn’t you love it if that were the case? Wouldn’t you love it if I could give you a road map for your own recovery or else give you a ‘rags to riches’ tale of how one woman triumphed over a horrific past to become almost normal and perfectly socially acceptable?
By Sarah Jane9 years ago in Families
Till I See You Again
On this day, two years ago, I lost my best friend. I remember it so clearly, like it was yesterday. I awoke at 9:00 AM and rubbed my tired eyes. I checked my phone, and decided that it was time to start my day. I hopped into the shower, dressed myself, and made my way downstairs. At this point my dad had left for work, and my stepmom was sitting downstairs drinking a cup of coffee. This was my daily routine. Wake up, get ready, drink coffee, and go to work. I sat in the garage with my stepmom as she smoked a cigarette. I felt weird. I felt like the weight of my body was dragging me down, and it was almost unbearable to walk. I felt moody. Every passing car that I heard drive by irritated me beyond belief. I felt so tired; like I hadn’t slept in centuries. At one point I remember saying to my stepmom, “I don’t know what the fuck is wrong with me, but I feel like total shit today.”
By Katherine Schaefer9 years ago in Families
I'm Coping, But I'm Not Okay
June 19, 2016 will forever be a horrifyingly beautiful reality check to me. I thought I knew what it meant to be in despair, to feel as though my life was truly about to crumble and have little worth in this world. My stepfather showed me otherwise on the day he decided to kick me out. He blamed me for many things, from my sister's disinterest in her personal hygiene to the altercation between her and my brother.
By Anecia Lewis9 years ago in Families
