travel
The ultimate test of a compatible relationship is whether you can stand to travel together.
Neither Here Nor There. Runner-Up in Maps of the Self Challenge.
On most maps of Prague, the Vltava River appears to cut the city straight down its middle, save for one bend that may, to some, resemble a lazily drawn P. The Czechs have always possessed a good sense of humor and an acceptance of their fate—I like to think the ancient gods etched the letter in the earth to give the city’s founders a hint. Praha.
By Emily Ryan3 months ago in Humans
Good Faith in a Bad-Faith World
The Collapse Of Civil Discourse Everywhere you look, conversation is breaking down. Words that once served as bridges are now weapons. People no longer speak to understand; they speak to win. To admit uncertainty is to invite ridicule. To ask a question is to be branded as weak or ignorant.
By Peter Thwing - Host of the FST Podcast3 months ago in Humans
The X and the Treasure
There is a story that exists in almost every culture on earth. It is the story of a map, a mark, and a treasure buried beneath the ground. The map is dismissed as myth, the mark is ignored or defaced, and the treasure waits in silence for the one person patient enough to dig. I have come to see truth the same way.
By Peter Thwing - Host of the FST Podcast3 months ago in Humans
Saturn Return
Dear Superimposed, It would be more fitting to ask me, “When am I, or, where am I?” rather than, “Who am I?” Who will never be specific enough, nor last long enough to be known; for Who does not belong to any one person, place, or time, and neither do I. If you really want to know me, you must first know where I am located and in what position I exist, as well as know your current position in time and space.
By Pōlani Monderen 3 months ago in Humans
Roughly 75% of your brain is water. AI-Generated.
The Brain's Hidden Hydration: Understanding Why Roughly 75% of Your Brain is Water Imagine your brain as a busy computer. It hums along with circuits firing non-stop. But without the right coolant, it overheats and crashes. That coolant? It's water. Your brain relies on it more than you think.
By Story silver book 3 months ago in Humans
The Shoe Behind The Toilet
It was a Tuesday. I was kneeling on the bathroom floor helping my daughter find her other shoe – the one that's always, somehow, never where we left it. When I stood up, there was this dull pressure in my lower back. Like someone had their thumb pressed into the base of my spine.
By Janey Dietsman 3 months ago in Humans
Spending for Feelings
You don’t buy things for the things. You buy them for the feelings. And once you admit that, you stop being controlled by impulses you never chose. That’s why I’m speaking to you directly — one mind, one mirror, one moment of ruthless clarity — because spending for feelings is the silent addiction that drains more power, purpose, and self-respect than debt ever will.
By Randolphe Tanoguem3 months ago in Humans
The Tiny Things That Count
I am a romantic at heart, always have been and always will be. I always approached my relationships with hope and a romantic view of love. I love affection. I believe showing love consistently is the magic glue. It’s a key part of any relationship.
By Calvin London3 months ago in Humans
I Spent 7 Days Without Money
I woke up on Monday morning and reached for my wallet… but it was empty. There was no money at all. Even my phone apps, which I usually use to pay for things, didn’t work. My heart raced — how would I eat, go places, or do anything without money? I felt worried, excited, and curious all at the same time. Could I really live a whole week without spending any money? I didn’t know it yet, but this small task would teach me big lessons — about money, about people, and about life. Along the way, I would see kind actions from others, find smart ways to solve problems, and think about what is truly important in life.
By Bilal khan 3 months ago in Humans
My Mental Health Journey in Map Pins. Runner-Up in Maps of the Self Challenge. Top Story - November 2025.
I’m getting on an airplane tomorrow to go to Thailand. It’s my first time going to a destination wedding. I’m tremendously excited, but the act of undertaking a long journey makes me introspective.
By Leigh Victoria Phan, MS, MFA3 months ago in Humans
When Compassion Replaces Truth
Compassion is a virtue, but compassion without truth becomes corruption. It turns mercy into permissiveness and kindness into cowardice. A healthy society needs both heart and spine. When compassion replaces truth, the heart becomes sentimental and the spine collapses. People begin to value comfort more than correction and feelings more than facts. The result is moral confusion that spreads from personal relationships into every institution.
By Peter Thwing - Host of the FST Podcast3 months ago in Humans
The Asymmetry of Consequence
A society cannot survive when truth applies to one group but not another. Every civilization that endures is built on shared accountability, equal justice, and balanced consequence. When one group is shielded from correction while another carries the full weight of judgment, corruption takes root. Today, that imbalance has become deeply gendered. Men are punished for failure, while women are protected from it. Men are held to the standard of results, while women are measured by intentions. The scales of consequence are no longer even, and the results are visible everywhere.
By Peter Thwing - Host of the FST Podcast3 months ago in Humans
