family

Family unites us; but it's also a challenge. All about fighting to stay together, and loving every moment of it.

The Alchemist's Diary
Solemn tears were flowing down my cheeks like a river. My hands were shaking as I wrote each word down in my journal - my little black book. The creased black leather cover shows how far we have traveled together through my soul's valleys of darkness and light. Its brown-looking paper records stories of tears and laughter, thought-provoking reflections, and hidden feelings. My diary is my dearest friend, a reliable friend who has tirelessly been my safe harbor. I loosened my grip and followed my pen's flow. Rumi's beautiful poem came to my mind, 'Choose Love, Love! Without the sweet life of Love, living is a burden - as you have seen.' Life has never been easy for me, and when I thought it couldn't get harder, the universe challenged me to grow onto the next level.
By Yuliana Francie5 years ago in Humans
Birthdays
My last memories of Uncle Jacob are mostly of me trying to glare at him but failing miserably because of my allergies and his attempts to die as a human chimney. It was his sixtieth birthday, and we celebrated at a Chinese restaurant bright with red walls and false cheer. The chatter was deafening. Irish American families are rarely quiet - and mine was no exception - but the constant jabbering was blaring and just teetering on the edge of hysteria.
By Kassy5 years ago in Humans
Something Old, Something New
It was a bittersweet day. Hae-won, a 65-year-old Korean-American woman with ageless beauty, moved into a new house―a decision she made after losing her husband of 45 years. She had lived a hard but fruitful life. Hae-won and her husband were Korean-American immigrants, and along with raising three children, they ran a small local store and restaurant for over 35 years. They were a staple amongst the community. Because she had lived a life full of established routines and familiar faces, moving into a new house felt like the beginning of a new life.
By B.A. Slyter5 years ago in Humans
Mira Mira
What is the price of a future? How much does it cost to purchase one of your own? This was a question I didn’t learn to ask until I was fourteen, but it was one my mother had lived with for the majority of her life.
By Mary Martinez5 years ago in Humans
A Little Bowl of Grapefruit
One year of this mess. There’s always been a little nagging fear in the back of my mind, itching to come forward when I’ve been stressed about who knows what.
By AV Carter5 years ago in Humans
Bathtub
She used her finger to scrape the last bits of peanut butter out of the jar and divided the smear amongst two slices of toast. Thank god neither of the twins is allergic, she thought to herself. She really couldn’t afford another breakfast option. She called up the stairs once more and finally heard the dull thud of a child leaving its bed. Then another one. It was now safe to grind coffee and not end up with two grumpy little beasts, startled by her morning fix. She heard their hooves stampede towards the kitchen and laid two mismatched plates on the table.
By Jessie Leigh5 years ago in Humans
Portraits and Stars
Cenn raised me amongst the ruins of a forgotten civilization. The worn stone shambles of what may have once been a massive building echoed my giggles back to me as I hid behind the ruins of a stone pillar. Now, the place was scattered in pieces, the only four walls made of canvas, stretched across a corner to shield us from the elements.
By Alex Rapp5 years ago in Humans
Without Hesitation
There was a room in my head that I hid away in when my surroundings got too overwhelming. It lacked light, sound and smell. I could shut off mentally there until I deemed it was okay for me to clock back into life. The last few weeks I found myself checking out from everything more often, and I knew my family especially had taken notice. I don’t think it surprised them when it started happening more, considering my Pap was the glue that held all of us together. He was the one who kept me on my feet and refused to let me sink into the hole I tried digging for myself the last couple of years. With him gone, there hasn't been much to grab onto to pull myself back out.
By Sam Kiper5 years ago in Humans
The Ashen Box
She could still feel the heat rising from the ash through her thick boots as she walked in a daze towards the old front door. Around her lay the remnants of 50 years of family memories. And thousands of years of that land's history. As she crossed the missing threshold, she turned her head instinctively towards the non-existent hall table and choked back tears, recalling the photographs of her grandparents that had forever stood there. Everything was gone. No living room to open birthday and Christmas presents in. No dining room to share laughter and celebratory dinners in. And no kitchen to break news over a cup of tea in.
By Anna Rolland5 years ago in Humans
Mana from Heaven
Two men stood in a field. One shielded his eyes against the wind-blown soil and the setting sun. The other was writing in a small, black notebook. Its pages showed long days of use, but its binding looked new.
By Garrett Schmidt5 years ago in Humans
The Greenhouse
Gracie huffs as she strikes the dirt with her spade. She was a determined sort with a sharp sense of wrong and right, that’s partly why Bert valued her friendship so much. He watches her blonde ponytail fall over her shoulder as she lifts the spade again. Thud. Thud, thud. Thud. This time the spade slides in and she places her boot on its step and it sinks, submerging the blade. She turns around to face Bert.
By LuLu Mackie5 years ago in Humans
The Little Black Book
I wasn’t supposed to hear them in the kitchen. They were speaking in hushed tones. My grandfather was telling my mother the latest news from the doctor. He needed surgery, but it was expensive.
By Matthew Donnellon5 years ago in Humans