humanity
For better or for worse, relationships reveal the core of the human condition.
Sonder, Sontag, and the Simultaneity of Everything
When I am blocked creatively, I often search Google, Pinterest, or Instagram for inspiration and insight into the world around me. This always helps me to get "unstuck" and seems to better inform my writing. Several years ago I stumbled upon the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows. Created by John Koenig, the site is dedicated to inventing words (neologisms) to describe the emotions that we all feel but don't have a word in the English language that defines them. Each original word and its definition aims to fill a gap in the English language and although the words are made-up, they are carefully crafted using proper etymology. A self-proclaimed lexophile, I have found DOS to be word porn at its best.
By Kristina Martin6 years ago in Humans
The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
She always tried to tell him it was his soul she fell in love with, yet it was his presence she craved. Empty moments filled with nothing was what she became accustomed to. She tried to love him like she thought he wanted, yet in the end, she saw she should have loved him the way he needed. He never believed she really loved his soul, as he told her he didn’t have one and instead, he preyed on her generous nature and kind ways; he manipulated time and space daily, to push her to her limits. He was the wolf in sheep’s clothing. She saw in his pearly white smile the truth of how hard he could really bite, but she knew that part of loving him was loving his demons, too. But, in the end she let his demons feed on her. She took on the role of the victim; she forgot who she was. She was the fire in her emotions, stronger than any woman, for she felt the pain, every inch of it, and still got up every day with love in her heart and a smile on her face. She fell into the role she played, but never really felt like herself. Outsiders looked on like she was weak for staying oh so many times. People would tell her to learn to love herself. Yet she did. The small piece of the puzzle that no one ever saw was she loved herself, in the true meaning of the word. She honoured a karmic bond made before this body, and she knew, in balance, they would teach each other lessons about who and what they really are. Because, thats the beauty of love: It never really dies. It’s just harder for a blackened soul to feel. So they parted, perhaps this time for good. She saw him, into him, through him, and all of him—yet the wolf never removed the sheep’s clothing until the aftermath came upon her.
By Wonders In Words6 years ago in Humans
Guilt: A Useful or Toxic Emotion?
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about guilt and how it can be both a positive and negative emotion. That guilty feeling we get in the pit of our stomachs is there to let us know when our actions are not aligned with what we perceive to be right.
By Janine Agombar6 years ago in Humans
5 Accessories to Give to Your Best Guy
Men can be very difficult to buy presents for. Either he's the guy who has everything, or he's the guy who doesn't want anything, or he wants some incredibly obscure thing that you're going to need to budget for. When it comes to off-the-cuff presents, there just aren't the same go-to gifts that are generally acceptable for women. Of course you can buy him flowers or jewelry, but there's no guarantee that it'll be anything other than a quirky joke. Here's a list of five easy presents that your guy friend probably either hasn't bought for himself yet, or he could stand to have more.
By Mikkie Mills6 years ago in Humans
Harrington Jacket
So here I am driving down the highway in Brisbane, Australia; it’s a clear hot day in my hometown that I like to refer to as a big country town because it’s not big enough to ever not run into people. I’d just come from dropping off a young musician I was managing at the airport. I’m fairly knackered and looking forward to getting home and hanging out with my love. I’m quite happy with myself as I’m wearing this new Harrington jacket I’d just got. I was working in an office with a couple of record labels and one of the older sort of leaders of the group had set up for myself, him and couple of others to buy these jackets off a bloke who had imported only a few of them from the UK for select people. I felt really cool owning one, like I was part of the gang/club; these were all people I had a lot of respect for and looked up to.
By Jai Sparks6 years ago in Humans
Is Saying "You're Welcome" Obsolete?
JK, lol, and "no worries" seem to be our mainstream staples for ending our conversational interactions. Although sweet and responsive. They just don't seem to carry the same recognition of appreciation as "Thank you" and "You're Welcome" do to me. I love words and the way they transmute emotions while weaving visual acceptance, enduring expectations we presume. See—I love words.
By C.C Intrigue 6 years ago in Humans
Toxic Relationships
Toxic relationships are everywhere, and everyone experiences them. Whether it be within your work environment, your friends, or even your family, there is no way to avoid them. We all see people for who they truly are, but this does not mean that we choose to actively see these toxic traits or personality. So, how do we handle toxicity in our own lives? A good friend once told me that the situation is not a bad one unless it messes with your daily function. If this person’s toxicity is affecting your day to day life, maybe you need to sit back and ask what kind of meaning they bring to your life. If you are a different person when you are around them, are they worth being around? Often, it also might be difficult to understand if you are a toxic person in someone’s life. This does not mean that you yourself are a bad person or you do bad things, some people just should not be friends or meant to get along.
By Cienna Jones6 years ago in Humans
Random Thoughts of a Village Idiot
We all have that one friend, that one friend who just does not stop talking. It seems they cannot stand the sound of silence. You're in the middle of a story, you stop for just a moment, and suddenly, whatever you were talking about sparked a thought in their head, and they just had this compulsive need to say it right there and then in the middle of your story. Almost as if they don't say it now, it will forever disappear from their mind. Conversations with this sort of friend are very scattered, with little continuity or depth. It's like they suffer from some form of undiagnosed ADHD. Small talk is the best type of conversation with such people.
By Charlotte Kratchmer6 years ago in Humans
