humanity
For better or for worse, relationships reveal the core of the human condition.
Refuel & Reflection
This photo was taken by the love of my life, Joseph on March 6th 2020 around 1pm EST. This photo among so many in my archives mean so much to me. This photo in particular is memorable. I remember this entire day so well. We were at the old Erie Canal State Park in Syracuse , NY. About a month before he captured this photo of me we attended my mothers funeral February 9th 2020. My mom passed away unexpectedly January 31 2020. After her funeral in February I went in full blown isolation mode. I locked myself in the house. I hardly came out of my room. I didn't come outside at all. I am forever thankful to Joe for all the errands , love. Overall him being patient seeing his woman battle a pain he couldn't take away. He went any where I needed him to go for me or my dad. He cooked for me, he cleaned for me , he tried to make me laugh, he was being an amazing father and man while he was hurting too. He loved my mom like his own. At the time I wasn't there to comfort him as he comforted me even when I pushed him away constantly. During that month of isolation I had his understanding and support to allow me to grieve my own way. Though he constantly did try to encourage me to talk about my feelings, and get out doors, but I didn't. I did not want to go outside in a world my mom was no longer apart of. From January 31 2020 to March 6 2020 I cried everyday , all day missing my mother. I kept feeling an ache in my heart that I thought was going to take me out of this world. Being a mom myself I had no idea how I was going to go on without the one who taught me and gave me everything I needed to carry on and live without her . The thought of that March 6th I woke up and did not cry . I acknowledge that and wondered was I all cried out. No, because there will forever be more tears to come. When you lose the woman you were close to , who was your biggest supporter and who gave you life. You will mourn them always. You just find ways to cope. But that special day in March I felt as if she wiped my tears away for just a moment. I told Joey I want to go outside and smile around my favorite place which is any type of nature. He found the perfect place where I took this picture. My smile is so authentic. It defines my strength to push through without one of the most important people to me who is no longer in my life physically , but remains in my heart spiritually. My smile reflects the drive I have to fulfill my dreams and be the best mother I could be as I have had the best mother on earth. My smile in this photo reassures the season I was ready to embark on a few days before the covid19 NYS lockdown. I posted this photo on my Instagram page with this caption :
By Tammy Reese6 years ago in Humans
Young Man want's New Job
Years ago, I needed to acquire a new skill set in an effort to find a better job. Did a little research and discovered that I could qualify for program offered by the BVR and this required a skill and education test. Scheduled the test and showed up early.
By Raymond Cook Jr6 years ago in Humans
The Biggest Generational Curse
I am a black millennial born shortly after the Rodney King riots in LA. My brother and cousins were all old enough to have witnessed it all at a traumatizingly young age. I remember from the time I could talk, my mom would stress to us how important it is for us to be able to articulate our words. My mom never lied to me.
By Dan-O Vizzini6 years ago in Humans
In the Midst
Growing up I always had an interesting relationship with my blackness. I never necessarily thought about it as a hindrance or something disadvantageous. I obviously knew I looked different from most of my classmates, rightfully so growing up in a predominately white suburb. Then going through catholic, and private school systems only made that distinction more apparent and noticeable.
By Brandon Lee6 years ago in Humans
My Black life matters.
I wonder what life would look like if Black lives TRULY mattered. Growing up Black, I was made aware from early on that the color of my skin was a threat to humanity. Before you start talking about “why would your parents teach you that?”, please understand that they didn’t teach me their feelings about White people. My parents taught me the TRUTHS of the country I live in.
By Janaé Brianna Wonsley6 years ago in Humans
Life after death....
It all happened while on Sarah's new journey in life after becoming a widow, began....she was living a life of emotional and soulful freedom and her guard was completely down..she trusted openly...well that is what happens when you are emotionally vulnerable.
By Jacqueline Payne6 years ago in Humans
Walking Away
"Love Shouldn't Hurt." A simple phrase that has taken me what seems like a lifetime to understand. First my Father, then myself, and finally my husband. This story is only going to discuss the last part, my husband. The love of my life. The man that made my heart skip a beat every time he bit his lip ever so gently or smiled his sexy little smile. Every women who knows love, knows the man I am talking about. He has been my rock when I needed him most and my hero when I didn't even kn ow I needed him. Every one who meets him tells me how good looking he is and how kind he is. They say, "You are so lucky to have him." What they don't know is the man I love, and they adore lives a lie. My man may have been my rock when I needed him. But, his fist hurt like iron slabs when I didn't. His words pierced my heart like daggers when all I needed was love and comfort. My love became my worse nightmare. I feared every time he would walk in the door. I didn't know if I would receive Dr. Jekyl or Mr. Hyde. I am not ready to discuss the details of the abuse. But, I will say for the last 5 years of my life I have lived in hell. Sure everything may have appeared normal on the outside. A nice house, nice car, nice things but, what does all that really matter when your falling apart from the inside out? What does it matter when you have become just an empty shell of the person you once were? What does it all matter when you hate everything about yourself? What does it all matter when all you want to do is just......DIE?
By KittyVixen6 years ago in Humans
Bullies Beget Bullies
We are all hypocrites! We are a mainstream culture that celebrates narcissism, egoism and instant self gratification. We are a society that finds humor and pleasure in photographing and video recording unsuspecting people without their consent and posting it to social media outlets for our own humor and the humor of our "friends" without regard to the feelings of the person. We are a society that would much rather use our hands to hold our phones and record a person in danger than extend our hand to help that person, or at the least to call for help. We are a society that finds pleasure in and celebrates our good deeds by filming people at their lowest points in life so that our "Good deeds" are validated by the world.
By Veronica Thompson6 years ago in Humans
