Code ThreeOne Day In The Life of a ParamedicHenry Lancing Woodward © Copyright 2022 by Henry Lancing Woodward |
 Image by Oskars Zvejs from Pixabay |
As
a Paramedic, I chose to work for private ambulance companies. My
company was subcontracted to provide 911 emergency responses to the
general population, so we performed the same duties as the
Firefighter Paramedics. We, however, had a whole different pay
scale. There were no overtime, medical, or 401K retirement benefits,
and we were paid about eight dollars an hour. We were very underpaid
for the responsibilities of our job. . . .
When I Was Young YesterdayLew Goddard Photos courtesy of the author. © Copyright 202 by Lew Goddard |
 Lew's high school photo, age 17 | 
Lew's most recent photo, age 86
|
My wife and I are the elderly that people refer to on TV, in books and on the telephone. Numerous memories quite often come to mind and this story is meant to tell you readers some of these in our much younger days.
I will tell you about my experiences since my spouse has her own. But this is my story for your enjoyment. At least, I hope that you enjoy it. . . .
Will The Real Santa Please Stand Up?Deon Matzen © Copyright 2022 by Deon Matzen |
 Photo by Mike Arney on Unsplash |
Charlotte is my sister-in-law. Not her real name. She is a single lady who has worked a number of various jobs during her lifetime. During the times of Covid, she was furloughed and without employment. When she was not taken back to the firm where she had worked, she decided to apply for her social security and move on to a life of retirement. Now she had more time on her hands.
Quite a few years ago while she was still working, Charlotte took on a part time job as “auntie” to two boys when they were quite small. She would make sure they got off to school on time with their lunches, looking in decent form for the day. When they returned home she would provide a snack and help them do their homework, staying until one of the parents returned home. . . .
A Whale of a Story Ezra Azra © Copyright 2022 by Ezra Azra |
 Image by JamesDeMers from Pixabay. |
His
nickname was Golly; his official name was Cyril. His family lived on
the same road as my family, in our village of Clairwood. He attended
the same school as me. He was in standard six when I was in standard
one.
After
he graduated from school in the 1960's, Golly got a job as a sailor
on a whaler boat out of the City of Durban. The whaler boat had a
crew of five men, including the captain. . . .
More...
The KilalaTerry Mulcahy © Copyright 2020 by Terry Mulcahy |
 Photo courtesy of the author. |
When my father died in 1987, I inherited
his two cats,
Charlie and Chrissy. He named them after characters in the TV show
Charlie’s Angels. I had them for a long time. About 1996,
Chrissy died of stomach or liver problems one day while I was
working. I buried her in the yard where I lived at the time. I marked
it with some bricks. The veterinarian had wanted to take her up to a
hospital in Santa Fe for very expensive treatments and follow-up
drugs, but I didn’t have that kind of money. The other cat,
Charlie, lived much longer. After I married my second wife, I took
Charlie with me and established him in my wife’s house. I hated
to move and leave Chrissy there. She was dead and buried, but still I
grieved for her. Charlie lived with us for many years. . . .
Breaking Down CarnivalsTerry Mulcahy © Copyright 2020 by Terry Mulcahy |
 Photo courtesy of the author. |
Sometimes you immerse yourself in something
and you
may not understand what it is until you back up and look at it from a
distant perspective. And, yes, that’s my lead-in to a story, a
story about joining a carnival.
Now, first off, a carnival is not a circus.
No live
animals, no rings, no ringmaster or clowns. But both a circus and a
carnival have a vibrance in the air, a cacophony of sound, bright
lights and garish colors. Both have children. Each child has a
candy-apple blush on their cheeks and a dripping swirly cone. . . .
When Is A Kiss Not A KissFredrick Hudgin © Copyright 2022 by Fredrick Hudgin  |
 Photo courtesy of the author. |
I
taught my first data processing officer course at the Army Institute
of Administration at Fort Harrison, Indiana, after being a second
lieutenant for all six months. My class of 29 officers varied in rank
from second lieutenant up to lieutenant colonel. We were a few days
into their introduction to the COBOL computer programming language.
Many of the young officers already had computer programming while in
college. Those young men and women charged ahead with energy and easy
success. The older officers struggled. . . .
Get Them OFF!Fredrick Hudgin © Copyright 2022 by Fredrick Hudgin Winner 2022 Biographical Story |
 Photo by Manjari Singh on Pexels. |
The
car drove by slowly, an elderly female driver staring at me as she
negotiated the turn in front of my parents’ house. I realized I
was stark naked, standing outside in a Princeton suburb, taking a
shower from the end of a garden hose. . . .
|
A Moving Experience
James L. Cowles © Copyright 2022 by James L. Cowles |
 Photo courtesy of the author. |
I'm
sure many of you have had a moving experience
in your lifetime. Many of these seem to come when a person has aged,
when ones life finds us celebrating birthdays in our sixth decade,
and beyond. This certainly fits with me, and this recent
experience. . . .
|
Valerie Byron
© Copyright 2022 by Valerie Byron
|
Photo courtesy of the author. |
Today
started out pretty well for me. It's Sunday, December 23rd and for
once I don't have to worry about preparing for Christmas. My
daughter has offered to cook the meal in her new house, and my son,
Nick, and his partner, Lee, will be joining us, as well as my
husband, Bill. I didn't even bother putting up a tree this year. Didn't
really seem worth the bother, especially since I had thrown
away my artificial tree from last year in the trash by mistake. Of
course, that's par for the course. . . .
| Brotherly
Love Noah Xia © Copyright 2022 by Noah Xia |
 Photo courtesy of the author. |
He’s
short, cute and as sweet as chocolate cake. My brother is my best
friend, and he’s been with me for almost six years. Since the
day he was born, I have adored him and taken care of him. However,
that doesn’t mean we didn’t have any bumps on the trip.
. . .
| First Love Robert Flournoy © Copyright 2022 by Robert Flournoy  |
 |
Lying
in bed with a broken leg, I would look out my second story window at
the kids getting off the school buses on the street behind
my apartment building. I first saw Carole as a brief flash of scarf
covered beauty as she hastened into her own building. . . .
| Remembrance Day, November 11, 2022 Karen Radford Treanor
© Copyright 2022 by Karen Radford Treanor
|
 Photo by Brett Sayles at Pexels. |
It's
Remembrance Day in Australia; Veteran's Day for some folks elsewhere.
Few now alive have any memory of the First World War and its terrible
cost, and a rapidly decreasing number have memories of the Second
World War. It's not just the soldiers who fought who should be
remembered. I think of my mother who, greatly pregnant, battled
through a gaggle of geese to climb a fire tower to watch the
skies for enemy planes which never came, but that doesn't diminish
her offering. . . .
You Are Not Lost!You Are Right Where You Are Supposed To Be!Kelly Maida © Copyright 2022 by Kelly Maida
|
 Photo of the author. |
I
wrote this from feelings recently of being lost in life and not knowing
my direction or who I was. But with some counseling and self discovery,
I am learning that everything is unfolding as it is supposed to. . . .
Wherever We GoRianna Chhabra © Copyright 2022 by Rianna Chhabra  |
 Photo by beast brothers: at Pexels. |
In
the month of early October, I suddenly found myself growing up. I had
been attending classes all week, working on the side, and cooking
three meals a day without once having fully realized how big of a
shift my journey from childhood to adolescence to this “new
adult” phase had been. . . .
Twelve DaysJudith Nakken © Copyright 2022 by Judith Nakken |
 Photo by Brandon on Unsplash |
“Tell
him I’ve already hoisted the damned flag!” Mike groused
over the top of yesterday’s Post-Intelligencer, only halfway
through the headline article about the Cuban missile crisis. Geraldine
stretched the black phone’s kinky cord. He didn’t
want to fight this early in the morning on the eleventh sober day, so
he reached a trembling hand for the receiver, spoke to his
brother-in-law. . . .
The Magnificent Tiger At PenchNayona Nag © Copyright 2022 by Nayona Nag |
 Photo by Waldemar Brandt at Pexels. |
In
2019, I, Nayona Nag, a quiet 11-year-old girl, wrote the story of
Collarwali in my “Tiger Diaries.” Collarwali was the
queen of Pench Tiger Reserve - situated in the interiors of Madhya
Pradesh, India. She had achieved the milestone of giving birth
to 29 tiger cubs. . . .
Coming Together With PandemicGomathi Sridevi © Copyright 2022 by Gomathi Sridevi |
 Photo courtesy of the author. |
The
year 2020 was filled with an unexpected guest named Covid19. Many
people's dreams, plans, and wishes crashed down with the arrival of
the Corona Virus. It's strange that how a tiny thing could do severe
damage to lives.
As they say, a small ant can kill an elephant. . . .
As they say, a small ant can kill an elephant. . . .
The JourneyOkparaoyibo Chukwuma Paul © Copyright 2022 by Okparaoyibo Chukwuma Paul |
 Auchi Polytechnic School.. Photo by the author. |
“No,
that is a girl’s chores!” father said with authority and
I just laughed.
Mum sometimes refers to Dad as an archaic man, who don’t know that things has changed, but whether that is true or not, it is none of my business as long as it keeps me from helping mother in the kitchen or sweeping around the house. . . .
Mum sometimes refers to Dad as an archaic man, who don’t know that things has changed, but whether that is true or not, it is none of my business as long as it keeps me from helping mother in the kitchen or sweeping around the house. . . .
UnderstandingMartina Preston © Copyright 2022 by Martina Preston |
 Image by Franck Barske from Pixabay |
Row
upon row of white headstones pierce the grass in front of me. The
white crosses gleam in the early July sunlight, and it’s almost
hard to look at them without my eyes watering. I know it’d be
perfectly fine if it looks like I’m crying, but I don’t
feel like it. . . .
Into The Less Known MalapeMartin Nyondo © Copyright 2022 by Martin Nyondo |
 Photo of Malape Pillars courtesy of the author. |
Even
though the sun was way past its overhead mark and was diving into its
expansive, western horizon, the sweltering blanket of the heat
swathed Liwonde township, melting both my mental and physical
strength. I had trekked all the way from Zomba city, some fifty
kilometers away, to visit a place that I had heard and read and seen
many a time in the media. A place wrapped in secrecy and mystery. . . .
A Day to Remember: Of Coins and a Clear ConscienceSharanya Sivasathiyanathan © Copyright 2022 by Sharanya Sivasathiyanathan |
 Photo by Patrick Hendry on Unsplash |
From
the moment my words were developed to become fully-fledged,
autonomous thoughts, I realized that my older sister and I could
never
share
the same ideas. Playing the “devil’s advocate” grew
to become a common occurrence in our household, and it was ingrained
in my very thinking that anything I could use to identify with my
personality, within my control, would be different from those of my
sister. . . .
Travel Solo, Not Alone: Part 2Peru and BeyondHilary Bryn Thomas © Copyright 2021 by Hilary Bryn Thomas
|
 Hilary's journals, guidebook, and maps. Photo by Hilary |
In
this essay, Hilary Bryn Thomas captures memories of the second part
of a journey she took fifty years ago, traveling from Canada to
Argentina by land and a little by sea The first part can be found at
http://www.storyhouse.org/hilaryt.html.
She traveled solo, but not alone. . . .
|
My Experience at Alabama Reagan Perry © Copyright 2022 by Reagam Perry |
 Photo by Jimmy Conover on Unsplash |
Have
you ever been to a place that you’ve never been before? I went
to Alabama for a football game on October 7, 2022 with my parents. It
was a long 8 hours of a Friday, but it was so worth it. . . .
It's Time To Put Teruel In The Spotlight\\Mari Zipes Wallace © Copyright 2022 by Mari Zipes Wallace |
 Image by meipakk from Pixabay |
How
would you feel if you were told that your town didn’t exist? Confused?
Lost? Angry?
Well, that’s been the plight of Teruel, a city in Aragon in eastern Spain. It’s the capital city of the Province of Teruel - with the smallest population of any provincial capital in the country - and without a direct railway or road link to the Spanish capital, Madrid. . . .
Well, that’s been the plight of Teruel, a city in Aragon in eastern Spain. It’s the capital city of the Province of Teruel - with the smallest population of any provincial capital in the country - and without a direct railway or road link to the Spanish capital, Madrid. . . .
Frantic Drive to Ohio for a Doomed Marriage ProposalJoseph O'Brien © Copyright 2022 by Joseph O'Brien |
 Photo by Luke Yanko on Pexels. |
I
graduated from Bakersfield Junior College in California in 1963 with
an Associate of Arts degree as an Electronic Technician. I had been
in the Navy, stationed at Charleston South Carolina, when I was
accepted at Bakersfield and received an early (two weeks) out in
order to attend school. Even with the early out I had to get to
Bakersfield for an entrance exam pronto. . . .
Nine Years to FreedomTeal M. Gaylord © Copyright 2022 by Teal M. Gaylord |
 Photo by Etienne Girardet on Unsplash |
The
American birthright based on “liberty and justice for all,”
is unique in this world. As an American my appreciation of this
birthright began with an experience I had as a teenager when I
experienced what life looked like under Soviet occupied Eastern
Europe. . . .
More...
|
Chasing Fire
|
|
Draped
in a swirl of saffron yellow, a young woman climbed delicately down
the cobbled steps from Fira town in Santorini, in search of the
perfect lookout over the Aegean. The long train of her gown followed
behind her, along with a sharply dressed young man and their
photographer. . . .
Best Vacation EverBobbi Ali © Copyright 2022 by Bobbi Ali |
 Photo property of the author. |
When
I moved to China over seven years ago, I anticipated staying only
maybe two years. After I arrived, I fell in love with China, but
still resolved to visit home every year. Now, my experiences this
past summer have tested this love greatly and I see so many things
through a jaded, bitter perspective. . . .
Beyond That DoorKiel Lerio © Copyright 2022 by Kiel Lerio |
 Image by Andreas from Pixabay |
It
was a year ago that we had planned an outing to relax and enjoy
ourselves after so many years just cooped up in our house. A summer
vacation to the hometown of our beloved nanny who still lives with us
until today. It was just our used-to-be-nanny for about 20+ years,
her 4-year-old child, my sister, and I who travelled. . . .
| Spring, Paris, and Cemetaries Kathryn Murdock
© Copyright 2022 by Kathryn Murdock
|
 Photo by Fabrice Nerfin on Unsplash. |
What
Is it about Paris? Each time I go there it again irritates,
infuriates and enchants me. I take it in small doses as one does at
the Louvre. For the most part I am content with the museums,
croissants and duck. Paris in part has become a cliché. A
parody of itself. A tune played over and over. . . .
More...
MagnanimousIshaokanyie Otogbo © Copyright 2022 by Ishaokanyie Otogbo |
 Image by thomasberghuis0 from Pixabay |
I
woke up with a start and realized I was sweating profusely. Both my
bedsheet and pillowcase were drenched in sweat and my trembling trunk
was evidence that I was gripped with fear. I sighed. I hissed and
heaved. I was relieved when I came to consciousness and realized that
it was a mere dream. I wasn’t surprised because my mind had
been troubled for almost eight years since the current president
ascended the headship of the political stable. He came with so much
hopes and promises. But it all turned out a pipe dream. Things had
cascaded from bad to worse and had continued to nosedive unabated. . . .
Appalachian Glow Worms
|
 Photo courtesy of Pexels. |
The
night was of a substance that left me longing for the indoorsThe rain
had been falling for hours, and the soil below my feet was beginning
to slip and wash into the small streams that charted canyons into the
leaves of the hillside. As I stepped out of my vehicle, the heels of
my boots squelched into the orange clay, sinking me inches below my
friends waiting on the solid rocks nearby. For a moment, as the skies
opened up in a further torrent of showers, we all considered heading
back, and returning to our homes for a warmer night of nature
documentaries and fall apple cider. . . .
A Mother's Travels Across AustraliaBeata Stasak © Copyright 2022 by Beata Stasak |
 Photo by Wallula from Pixabay |
It
was a few years since my grown children had left our little farmhouse
in Western Australia, following their careers and dreams. Our annual
Christmas gatherings had been disrupted by Covid, so when the winter
school holidays approached and the harvest was nearing completion, I
packed my bag to venture out to their new homes. . . .
We All Deserve A BreakYmgy Gardose Aton © Copyright 2022 by Ymgy Gardose Aton |
 Photo courtesy of the author. |
As
a working female,
I have been on the verge of having a “me-time”. I wanted
to have my time alone. So I thought of doing my first domestic solo
travel without thinking of all the hectic schedules in my workplace
and taking care of my family at the same time. . . .
A Middle Eastern Road TripElizabeth Wahba © Copyright 2022 by Elizabeth Wahba |
 Photo courtesy of Pexels. |
For
three months I had been reeling at the cultural differences of the
Middle East. Moving from rural Pennsylvania to the bustling,
ever-changing cityscape of Bahrain was whiplash-inducing. One change
that I was excited about was the concept of Eid, the two separate
fall breaks from work and school that fall after Ramadan. These would
each be a blessed two-week break away from the overwhelming life of
learning new cultures at a British school as the only American. . . .
My TravelsChristine Law © Copyright 2022 by Christine Law |
 Photo by Omar Prestwich on Unsplash |
Its funny how life plans out? I can remember traveling to Switzerland, flowers growing in the streets of Lucerne along the
pavements, with snow on the mountains. At twenty- two to be in such a climate didn’t seem real. On the trip there were
many interesting people to talk to. Trying to hide my shyness I tried to be friendly to everyone on the coach. . . .
More...
Dramamine and My Siren Song of the RoadTom Sodergren © Copyright 2022 by Tom Sodergren |
 Photo courtesy of Jenny Uhling at Pexels. |
My
parents grew up during the Great Depression and the lessons they
learned became instincts which dictated how my family lived in the
mid century. . . . After the
Depression and War years, my parents had powerful instincts to never
waste money. Ever. On anything. On me. . . .
French Pressed Coffee in MoroccoCherylle Winacott © Copyright 2022 by Cherylle Winacott |
 Photo courtesy of Los Muertos Crew on Pexels. |
A
French press
coffee in the morning delivered to me tableside, and my server even
presses it down for me. Lord kill me now, I will die in blissful
coffee heaven. Just thinking about this brings joy to my heart, I am
shallow that way. This was in Marrakech Morocco at our five-star
hotel, a delight I will not soon forget. . . .
More...
|
The
Big Country A Critique of the Motion Picture Richard Franklin Bishop © Copyright 2022 by Richard Franklin Bishop |
 Photo from Google free photos. |
. . . .I
saw this movie and was impressed with the land so wide that a giant
movie screen could not provide enough space to encompass it - but
could only show tiny bits of it. Aside from the following mild
critique, it was an excellent film and the music was notable in that
it set the stage for soundtracks as might be used for epic
films of the ilk by Cecil B. DeMille. . . .
Reindeer YogaValerie Forde-Galvin © Copyright 2022 by Valerie Forde-Galvin |
 Photo courtesy of the author. |
Yes,
I am a yoga teacher and, no, I am not promoting some weird new style
of yoga. It just happens that, while I was teaching at a community
college in Illinois, something called “goat yoga” had
become the latest fad and was a source of amusement to my students.
We were approaching the Christmas season and in the spirit of fun one
of the students, lacking an actual goat, brought in a stuffed
reindeer. . . .
Whidbey Island, Washington StateDeon Matzen © Copyright 2022 by Deon Matzen |
 Photo by Barnabas Davoti courtesy of Pexels. |
. . . . It
was the summer of 1959. I had just left junior high and was
preparing to start high school in the tenth grade. I was fourteen
years old. We didn’t have a high school in the town near which
I lived, so we were bused to a town about fifteen miles away. More
than half the students hadn’t been in school with me before. That made
this whole new scene a little scary, and a big adventure. . . .
More...
|
Rajaluxmi
Pillay, 1944-2020 Ezra Azra © Copyright 2022 by Ezra Azra |
 Photo courtesy of South African History online. |
Lessons of a Backpacker in the Indian OceanIulia Holca © Copyright 2022 by Iulia Holca |
 Photo by the author. |
I
awoke to sweltering heat that morning, feeling exhausted from the day
prior. My friends and I had spent nearly the entire day prior
awaiting a ferry on a crowded dock with our heavy backpacks in tow.
When it finally arrived, hordes of backpackers crammed their way
inside, quickly filling nearly every seat and the floor of the ferry. . . .
Baby, We Were Born To RunMaureen Moynihan © Copyright 2022 by Maureen Moynihan |
 Photo of Buster in 2016 by Maureen. |
On
mornings when I worked from home, I was shaken from sleep by the
pungent smell of his breath, wretchard as the stench of a rotting
potato abandoned in the corner of a kitchen cupboard. His
elongated tongue was dragged across my face, thick with spit and
intention. It didn’t matter to him if it’s Christmas
morning or if I just polished off a bottle of wine. What mattered is
that it’s 5:30am: time to run. . . .
Congo: Jungle MiseryWilliam A. Stoever © Copyright 2022 by William A. Stoever |
 Photo by Manuel de la Fuente on Pixabay. |
I took an overnight steamer up Lake Tanganyika to the town of Uvira, on the eastern edge of the Congo (Kinshasa). The map showed a road heading north towards Bukavu and then veering northwestward toward Kisangani, a dotted line indicating a dirt road passable only during the dry season. It appeared to pass through a vast undeveloped sparsely-populated jungle area.
The Big BluePatricia Togonon © Copyright 2022 by Patricia Togonon |
 Image by kai62 on Pixabay |
I
was around ten years old when I was introduced to Big Blue. Big Blue
was the name of the first brand new pick-up truck that my
hard-working entrepreneurial Filipino parents bought. It was
a
shiny big single cab Isuzu pick-up truck which did not fit us, so my
Dad had its truck bed customized with a camper shell and an air
conditioner to fit me, my sister, our bikes, and a big ass
cushion
at the back. Thus began our adventure. . . .
More...
Living the DreanJoanne Wilson © Copyright 2022 by Joanne Wilson |
 Photo of Copenhagen at sunrise by the author. |
There’s
no place like home. Nothing truly compares to my bed with its thick
memory foam mattress and if I’m completely honest, my own
toilet. Home comforts, home cooked food, the familiar surroundings.
Contented as I am at home in the UK, my thoughts persistently wander
and dream of other places. . . .
Killer at Kosy KoveThom Shilling © Copyright 2022 by Thom Shilling |
 Photo courtesy of Ivan Samkov at Pexels. |
In
a few hours we’d be shrouded in darkness. We had driven four
hundred miles since leaving home and the endless hours in a station
wagon with four preteen children were taking a toll. With each mile I
was barraged with repeated complaints: “Mom, he’s
touching me!” or “Move over!” or “Dad, I need
to go to the bathroom,” and the constant repetition of the most
annoying question on any road trip - “Are we there yet?”. . .
Floating Island Blues…an Encounter with a crocodile (or two, plus a tree stump, and a large fish!)Sammy Nderitu © Copyright 2022 by Sammy Nderitu  |
 Photo courtesy of Pfuderi at Pixabay. |
Swimming
in a lake is different from swimming in a swimming pool. In fact, it
is as different as a shark is from a dolphin, or a crocodile is from
a monitor lizard. Ever thought you were playing tag with a dolphin,
only to discover that you’re holding a shark by the ears? Or
you poked at the partly exposed snout of a large lizard, only to
discover that you have just awoken a hibernating crocodile? . . .
| Brownsea Open Air
Theatre An Atmospheric Adventure Stephen Annandale © Copyright 2022 by Stephen Annandale |
 Photo courtesy of Brownsea Theatre Co., UK |
Shakespeare on
Brownsea Island: a sea journey, a picnic, a scenic island and a play.
One of the top open
air theatres in the United Kingdom, Brownsea Open Air Theatre (BOAT)
makes traditional Shakespeare enjoyable for everyone from lovers of
the great playwright to those for whom school studies were
uninspiring. . . .
The Brink of WarGovernment Established At the Point of a GunMarcia McGreevy Lewis |
 Photo courtesy of Dan Galvani Sommavilla at Pexels. |
. . . .Let’s
talk about that January 2020 U.S. drone strike near the Baghdad
airport that killed a top Iranian general. Many of us may not
remember where we were when it happened. I remember clearly because
my partner and I were in the United Arab Republic (UAE). We thought
political tensions might make our goal of understanding the area
challenging, but we hadn’t anticipated that we would have a
direct confrontation with the human
consequences of war. . . .
The Cookie LadyMaureen Moynihan © Copyright 2022 by Maureen Moynihan |
 |
When
my mother calls, she speaks in 20point Impact Bold font and
punctuates each statement with a fantastic sense of urgency:
“Maureen!!
This
is ya Mutha! The lady who gave you birth! Backwards!”
Lani
identifies herself just in case I don’t recognize the voice. I
was a born breech during the pre-ultrasound era and the creation of
the epidural. She reminds me of this fact about every third phone
call. I’m 48. . . .
Thank You, Mr. RogersEzra Azra © Copyright 2022 by Ezra Azra |
 Photo by Bradi C on Flickr. |
For
the first twenty-nine years of my life, I lived, trapped by poverty,
in a near-to-slum ghetto in the suburb of Clairwood, Durban, Natal,
South Africa.
I
was ashamed to be living there. Eventually, we were evicted by the
landlord because we could not afford to pay the increased rent. We
moved in with other members of our family in the same ghetto. Some
years later, by a 'perfect storm' of incredible luck, skullduggery,
and illicit maneuvers-negotiations, I qualified to be financially
assisted by an Underground illegal consortium to emigrate. I hastily
and haphazardly emigrated, in 1967, for good; in both senses of the
word, I hoped. . . .
Road Tripping'Rose Jakubaszek © Copyright 2022 Rose Jakubaszek |
 Photo courtesy of Pexels. |
When
my mother got formally diagnosed with dementia, the first thing my
brother wanted to do was take a family road trip to keep things
“normal”. About a month later, we were checking into a
hotel room on the first leg of our trip from San Francisco to
Yosemite National Park. While my brother investigated dinner options
at the hotel desk, I released the death grip on my Xanax bottle just
long enough to put my mother down for a nap. . . .
Shower PowerPamella Laird © Copyright 2022 by Pamella Laird |
 Photo by Caique Nascimento on Pexels.
|
On
a tour of England, Wales and Scotland, we two travellers from Down
Under sampled more than twenty bathrooms and their accoutrements.
These stretched from no shower at all, to one closely related to a
fire hose.
A
shower each night assumed the prominence of Ben Nevis as in three
months, we covered four thousand miles in temperatures averaging 29
degrees centigrade. Accordingly, our tiny rental car, began to resemble an
electric frying pan— a glance out the window at the dried,
cracked lawns and fields explained why.
Becoming HelenElyse Ribbons © Copyright 2022 by Elyse Ribbons |
 Photo courtesy of helenfostersnow.org |
Ooh,
I like this title. As
a linguistics nerd and a fan of punnery in general, this title brings
me joy because Helen Foster Snow was
indeed a very becoming woman; classy, graceful, witty and
beautiful. But
also, this is the perfect title because this essay is about my very
surreal experience of becoming Helen Foster Snow. . . .
| Parting Is Such Street Sorrow Humor by Mark P. Maller © Copyright 2022 by Mark P. Maller |
 Photo by Luke Stackpoole on Unsplash |
On a park bench in Verona, just east of Pittsburgh, Jack Grush sat shaking his head, shoulders heaved over, watching small boys run around the trees, as the sun disappeared through an orange gray haze. Reading real estate signs, he could not believe that yesterday he had seen his father’s ghost after he had opened a snow cone shop at the South Pole. Grush could never stand working frozen in the dark selling 27 flavors of Popsicles to the hardy team of scientists with icy attitudes. Seven church chimes rang. His mind raced back to last Sepember. . . .
GardeningHetty Willeumier © Copyright 2022 by Hetty Willeumier |
 Photo by Nature Uninterrupted Photography at Unsplash. Photo by |
. . . .Gardening
and “mucking about in the soil” has always been a great passion
of mine! I’ve lived in many areas; the Yukon, the Gulf Islands in
BC, Victoria/BC; Vancouver etc…Everywhere there was a patch of soil,
you’d see me… enjoying the whole process! . . .
The Man in the BoxRuth Thompson © Copyright 2022 by Ruth Thompson |
 Photo by Pavel Danilyuk: at Pexels. |
It’s
a vague memory, likely remembered because my mother told the story
repeatedly and included it in her memoirs. I was four years old,
sitting in a church with my mother on a weekday. My older brother was
in school, my father at work. Mother didn’t explain what was
going on. Perhaps she didn’t think I was old enough to
understand and thought I would just sit there quietly. She could have
left me with a babysitter, but I imagine she thought the expense was
not warranted. I was a shy child, fairly compliant, and no doubt she
expected me not to make a fuss. In my mother’s re-telling of
the incident, she would grimace, her head lowered, as she talked
about how my outburst had disrupted a solemn occasion.
Why
is the man in the box? Sitting beside my mother in
the third
row of the church, everyone at the funeral service could clearly hear
my high-pitched child’s voice. , , ,
More...
The Space Between UsSamia Nur Chowdbury © Copyright 2022 by Samia Nu Chowdbury |
 Photo by form PxHere |
I
have always found it easier to narrate stories of heartache, usually
because I can channel the raw emotions felt during the time to the
miniscule of moments and give life to words, capturing the exact
instance that I fell. Along the horizons of one’s lifeline,
they meet all sorts of people- the ones that end up in their last
chapters, the ones that the protagonist cannot wait to get rid of and
the ones that got away, no matter how much you wanted them to stay. . . .
I Think I Learned PatienceHalimah Ajibade © Copyright 2022 by Halimah Ajibade |
 Photo by Aneta from Pixabay |
I
decided to start
my own business at the age of fifteen. My parents did not give
unstinting support because they thought it would impinge on my
education. I promised them it would not. And besides, I just finished
WASSCE (WEST AFRICAN SENIOR SECONDARY CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION). I
still had a few months before I resumed University. . . .
| Hemiparesis and Me Tony Hill © Copyright 2022 by Tony Hill |
 Photo by Patrick Case: at Pexels. |
Recently,,
at the age of 74, I discovered after a couple of minutes on Google,
that I had lived with right sided hemiparesis since birth. Up to
that point I regarded myself as having a mild form of cerebral palsy.
Hemiparesis is a word I had never heard before. There is nothing
like having an enquiring mind I always say. . . .
My Father, the Dentist, and ILana Kristan © Copyright 2022 by Lana Kristan |
 Photo by Rafael Juárez from Pixabay,. |
This
story is about my struggle with my fear of dentists. I also tried to
present my relationship with my father in the story and hope it
doesn’t overshadow the representation of my greatest fear. I
struggled with finding the topic for this story when I remembered
this day from only a week ago. . . .
A Kind ActPrincewill Udom © Copyright 2022 by Princewill Udom |
 Photo by Muhammadtaha Ibrahim Ma'aji courtesy of Unsplash. |
In
September 1999, after my undergraduate studies in southern Nigeria, I
moved to Abuja, the capital city in the north-central region of the
country. I had just turned twenty-seven years old, so I felt mature
and ready to grasp the nettle. The relocation came after nearly a
year of several failed attempts at finding a job, deep personal
thoughts, and not being in any serious relationship. . . .
Those He Left BehindSaima Najib Chaudry © Copyright 2022 by Saima Najib Chaudry |
 Photo by Izuddin Helmi Adnan courtesy of Unsplash. |
At
first glance, my uncle did not come across as a friendly man. He was
reserved, inattentive and usually withdrawn when in the company of
people. This is how I remember him—loose
shabby clothes, dishevelled hair, partly bald in the middle,
reticent, unsteady hands, trembling voice, a face lashed with deep
furrows brought about by years of disappointment, and ghastly,
horror-struck eyes. . . .
| Those
Who Got Slapped Tony Hill © Copyright 2022 by Tony Hill |
 Photo courtesy of Pexels.. |
. . . .It
was just after my 15th birthday in May 1962 that I became one of
those who got slapped. Six of my fellow classmates at St.Michael’s
Senior School had previously been recipients of a vicious slap across
the face by Peter Pyne, known throughout the school,
unaffectionately, as “Pyne the Pain “. The six were, in
chronological order of being slapped, Dennis Crouch, Shaun Hughes,
Tommy Brennan, Roger McCann ,David Wood and Alan Murray. . . .
| Blackout Tony Hill © Copyright 2022 by Tony Hill |
 Photo courtesy of Pixabay. |
Just
as she had done every working day for the past six months, Mrs.Harris
put on her tweed overcoat and thick woolen scarf at the end of the
day shift.Well protected against the cold winter weather,she bought
an evening paper from a vendor outside the factory gates and joined
the queue at the bus stop. . . .
Communist CubaMyth of an Egalitarian SocietyMarginalisation and Anguish of the Black Population |
 Photo by Maksim Romashkin courtesy of Pexels. |
Cuba,
despite its promotion and projection as an egalitarian nation ,
which is the ethos of Communism, has failed miserable and has
actually never solved the issue of race relationship. . . .
An Iberian MisadventureTiana Yasmin Nowzari © Copyright 2022 by Tiana Yasmin Nowzari |
 Photo by Jason Mooy courtesy of Flickr. |
It's
the first week of August, and it's one of the hottest months in
Spain. My trip here was initially planned as a graduation gift from
myself after a straining semester filled with endless all-nighters
and Red Bull binges. After excessively googling with the help of some
celebratory wine, I came across a travel website called
VisitSpain.com. . . .
The One Who Won't Get Out Of The BedMemoona Amjid © Copyright 2022 by Memoona Amjid |
 Photo courtesy of PxHere. |
We
met for the first time, on the day of our hostel allotment. That was
a very lucky day for every first year because the seats were limited
in hostel. Who knows what ‘seat limitation’ meant to
them, as there was a lounge and all first years had only a bed space
to their name. It was more like living on the side of a footpath, as
everyone was passing through us like we were out in the open rather
than in our rooms. . . .
More...
Family DifferencesEzra Azra © Copyright 2022 by Ezra Azra |
 .Photo by vishnu deep on Pexels. |
In
the 1950s, I lived at 61 Torquay Avenue, Fynnland, Durban, Natal,
South Africa. Ours was the last home at the end of the Avenue. In
those days, the word Avenue was an exaggeration of what was merely a
two-adult width path overgrown with tall weeds. For the last few
hundred feet up to our house, the ground on the Avenue was not
visible for the weeds. Beyond our home there was virgin jungle for
about two miles to the next suburb, King’s Rest.
I
have many memories of our encounters with wild animals entering our
unfenced yard from the jungle. Here is one such encounter. . . .
The Possibility of Liberation from HistoryReflections on the limits and the promise of autobiographical self-representationMimi M. Salili © Copyright 2022 by Mimi M. Salili |
 Photo courtesy of PXHere. |
. . . .Writing
about one’s own life is not radically different from producing
a work of fiction.
By fiction, I do not simply mean that which is not “real.” Something can be purportedly
My Grandfather's Love For The Village And His ParentsChaitanyamoi Chetia © Copyright 2021 by Chaitanyamoi Chetia |
 Photo by Grandfather on horseback. |
My
grandfather loved the people of his villages, his relatives and the
people of the neighborhoods. Western cowboy movies were his
favourites, and whilst he was the officer-in-charge at Chabua police
station (Chabua is a small tea city of upper – Assam), he asked
a cobbler to make a pair of stylish cowboy boots of leather having
high shafts, no lace, but pointed toes at the front. . . .
The Exceptional ImmigrantDevin Meireles © Copyright 2022 by Devin Meireles |
 Photo courtesy of Pixabay. |
What do we live for? Pardon my morbidly introspective inquisition but it’s something I think about. . . .
The Summer I StrivedRishika Srivastava © Copyright 2022 by Rishika Srivastava |
 Photo courtesy of Pexels. |
All
I could think about was summer vacation when I was growing up. I
couldn’t wait to be homework-free, enjoy long days in the sun
playing Cops
and Robbers,
and stay up well past my usually mundane 9:00 P.M. bedtime during the
week. . . .
|
Gunfighter Tales Richard Franklin Bishop © Copyright 2022 by Richard Franklin Bishop |
 Photo courtesy of Dreamstime. |
Picture the old
West. On his evening “rounds”, A Town Marshal walks into
a crowded Bar and sees a WANTED Gunman bellied up to the Bar drinking
his Whisky. . . .
Sushi With DebbieAmber Baker © Copyright 2022 by Amber Baker |
 Photo courtesy of Pexels. |
When
we pulled the car up in front of the door and the house opened up, I
thought you looked beautiful. I even said so to your granddaughter
sitting next to me. She only knows you now— white hair to the
waist and a flowing purple top to match your nails. . . .
The Beauty of Changing Our MindsBreanne Szabados © Copyright 2022 by Breanne Szabados |
 Photo by Ali Kazal courtesy of Unsplash. |
As
I’ve gotten older, the things that are important to me and the
things that I ultimately want have changed. I suppose this is a
normal and natural part of being a human being, but for most of my
life, I felt like it was not really an option; that I needed to have
it all figured out and had no flexibility to pivot or change my mind. . . .
The OutcastEllen Berman © Copyright 2022 by Ellen Berman |
 Image by Foundry Co courtesy of Pixabay |
It
was the first time I ran away from home.
I was fifteen in 1971 and school had just closed for summer vacation. I was fat. At five-foot-two-and-a-half-inches tall and a Junior Size 13 pants, let’s just say at least my lower half was disproportionate to my height, and I was embarrassed to wear a bathing suit in public. . . .
I was fifteen in 1971 and school had just closed for summer vacation. I was fat. At five-foot-two-and-a-half-inches tall and a Junior Size 13 pants, let’s just say at least my lower half was disproportionate to my height, and I was embarrassed to wear a bathing suit in public. . . .
A Girl from the CountrysideGomathi Sridevi © Copyright 2022 by Gomathi Sridevi |
 Photo by the author. |
"You can't do it alone," that's what people said to her when she decided to move to the city.
Let's move to a few decades in the past.
It was rare for a woman to give birth at the hospital, especially in villages. Women used to give birth at home with a few old ladies surrounded by her and one lady doctor accompanying the pregnant woman. . . .
More...
RelationshipsMelody Pender © Copyright 2022 by Melody Pender |
 Photo of the author. |
The
lively chattering of students gathered together, each in groups ―
tightly knitted. From their smiles and grins, playful shoves and
silly grins, I could tell at once… they were close friends,
childhood friends perhaps.
What did I stare at them with?
Envy? . . .
What did I stare at them with?
Envy? . . .
Migration and IdenityCarlo Rey Lacsamana © Copyright 2022 by Carlo Rey Lacsamana |
 Photo by Mabel Amber courtesy of Pixabay. |
. . . .Every
journey begins in departure. seventeen years! I tell myself. It’s
almost two decades since I left my homeland. And this word: homeland
has grown, expanded, developed, and much longed for in me. Leaving
the place where one had been born and nurtured is not as simple as
changing one’s clothes. Migration is in itself a kind of
displacement. . . .
82 Poems on a Single ThemeEzra Azra © Copyright 2022 by Ezra Azra |
 Photo courtesy of Pixabay. |
My
Granny, Jane Goldstone (1878-1974) was a Grade School teacher, as
well a Sunday School teacher. All her adult life she was in a
quandary that her God, Jehovah/Yahweh, committed so many evil deeds
willingly, as recorded in the Bible. She collected 39 of these
accounts in the Bible and re-formed the Bible's words into flawless
iambic verse. . . .
Knowing Up From DownKip Rosser © Copyright 2022 by Kip Rosser |
 Photo by Elena Mozhvilo at Unsplash. |
There’s a word that troubles me. I think a lot about this word. I’ll tell you what it is in a minute. But first, there’s a different word you need to know. The word is contronym. A contronym is a word that, strange as it seems, is actually its own opposite.
Take the word “off,” for example. It can mean to shut down or deactivate, as in the sentence, “I shut the light off.” But it can also mean the opposite -- to turn on or activate -- as in “my alarm clock just went off.” How bizarre is that?! . . .
Surviving AdolescenceLisa Rivers © Copyright 2022 by Lisa Rivers |
 Photo courtesy of Flikr. |
"Awe
honey I'm not Laughing at you, I’m laughing with you. And
after time passes you will be laughing." She said. " I
promise".
"Really Mom”, I screamed in horror, “Do you see me laughing? How could I be so lame? I mean really. What kind of mother sends a child out like that. I can never show my face again, never!” . . .
"Really Mom”, I screamed in horror, “Do you see me laughing? How could I be so lame? I mean really. What kind of mother sends a child out like that. I can never show my face again, never!” . . .
Moving NeighborhoodsZary Fekete © Copyright 2022 by Zary Fekete |
 Photo courtesy of Pixabay. |
I
was carrying one of the last boxes out to our car when our neighbor
called to me. She was the first person my wife and I met when we
moved to Budapest’s 11th district three years
ago. We were in our mid 20s; our neighbor was 76. . . .
Each Minute CountsLori Stryker © Copyright 2022 by Stryker |
 Photo by Stas Knop at Pexels. |
When
you’re a high school teacher, you are governed by the clock.
Each minute counts. These minutes are units of time to visit the
bathroom or grab those final photocopies before scurrying to your
assigned classroom. One of the things I savored most when I retired
was that I didn’t need to wake up to an annoying alarm, or have
my day ruled by the watch perennially on my left wrist. I still wear
that watch, but only because it’s my habit after so many years.
I never use my alarm. . . .
White GlovesCindy Marcus © Copyright 2022 by Cindy Marcus |
 |
Temple
Beth David was always one step away from collapse. A converted house
in Van Nuys, the blacktop was more gray than black, the walls, though
loved, were chipped from wear, and the roof leaked every Winter.
Still, my working class family attended Friday night services every week. In the small congregants’ room, boys got Bat Mitvah’d, Shofars got blown, and every child received a birthday blessing. . . .
Still, my working class family attended Friday night services every week. In the small congregants’ room, boys got Bat Mitvah’d, Shofars got blown, and every child received a birthday blessing. . . .
The Bravest Man on the PierJoseph O'Brien © Copyright 2022 by Joseph O'Brien |
 Photo by Wendy Wei at Pexels. |
In
the summer of 1961 the weather was beautiful in Seaside Heights, New
Jersey and I landed a job running the Ferris wheel on the pier. At
night you could see the bridge from the land to the island where
Seaside was located. My boss used to come up to the wheel and look at
the line of headlights coming across the bridge and say, “That's
fresh money.”. . .
Unusual VisitorsRobyn Michaels © Copyright 2022 by Robyn Michaels |
 Photo courtesy of Global Giving. |
The
first time I ever encountered someone in America who had never met a
Jew was when I had just turned 15. This was in 1968. I was living in
the north suburbs of Chicago, where at least a third of the community
was Jewish. I went to visit an acquaintance who lived in Pana, a
small town in central Illinois: corn country. We went to her mother’s
for Christmas. She had cooked a ham. . . .
Taking on Big TerryCatherine Grow © Copyright 2022 by Catherine Grow |
 Photo courtesy of Pixabay. |
Times
growing up I would have sold my soul for an older brother—someone
to look up to who, with his worldly wisdom, would illuminate a sure
and steady path for me as I muddled through my mid-1950’s
childhood.
What I got was J. J.: two years younger than I and, until his teens, shorter and scrawnier. For most of our childhood, I could win arguments by wrestling him to the ground and sitting on him. The balance of power was clearly in my favor. . . .
More...
How Snake and Cat Were Rescued From Each Other, and We From BothEzra Azra © Copyright 2022 by Ezra Azra |
 Photo courtesy of Pixabay. |
This
is an account of an animal rescue as it happened on our farm in
Africa.
Animal rescues on our farm were not memorable, generally, because they happened with boring regularity.
This one was unusual because while our cat and the snake were gearing up to fight to the death, we were trying to rescue both of them from each other, and ourselves from both of them. On our farm, the first tenet of our animal rescue ethics was to never let a fight happen between animals. . . .
Animal rescues on our farm were not memorable, generally, because they happened with boring regularity.
This one was unusual because while our cat and the snake were gearing up to fight to the death, we were trying to rescue both of them from each other, and ourselves from both of them. On our farm, the first tenet of our animal rescue ethics was to never let a fight happen between animals. . . .
Thirty-Three Animal Stories for ChildrenIN MEMORIAM: RAINDROPS, 1980-1997, our family Cat. All author's proceeds donated to Windsor and Essex County Humane Society. Ezra Azra © Copyright 2022 by Ezra Azra |
 Photo courtesy of Pixabay. |
1)
The pandemic; its good side.
2)
The kid’s a genius.
My Inspiration In LifeOjo Victoria Ilemobayo © Copyright 2022 by Ojo Victoria Ilemobayo |
 Photo courtesy of Pixabay. |
Nine
weeks old, mama
spewed honey honeycomb and milk to me. Daily she watered me like a
plant in a nursery. Mama oiled my hair with supplication,yes she
&
papa dined words with the Great Old at Dusk. . . .
With Every BreathJoanne E. Galliher © Copyright 2022 by Joanne E. Galliher |
 Photo of the author. |
My Frisky Trifecta is living half-glass full. Bold, not blasé. Curious, not complacent. That saved my life and makes me 70 going on 30.
At 62, an unidentifiable virus devoured 75% of my lungs in six hours. It was like an unconscionable piranha. Leaving me to struggle and miraculously survive a non-negotiable prognosis. “There’s only a 20% chance you’ll be alive in a year.” I hung in 1,187 days. . . .
More...|
Breakfast
at Tiffany's Re-Visited
Carl Winderl © Copyright 2022 by Carl Winderl |
 Photo courtesy of Pixabay |
I
couldn’t remember, -- no, I can’t remember when
was the last time I’d read Truman Capote’s Breakfast
at Tiffany’s
I
do know it’s since I saw the film version with Audrey Hepburn
in her most unforgettable and legendary star-turn as Holly Golightly,
along with George Peppard, in a sort of ‘thinly’
disguised role as her most suitable innamorato out
of
her innumerable wannabe suitors. Not to mention Capote’s
attempt at reincarnating his writerly self in the alter ego
of
Peppard’s firmer flesh. . . .
One Double Biography from the Heart(For my Mum and Dad)Branka Vulic © Copyright 2022 by Branka Vulic |
 Mum and Dad on 50th anniversary. Photo from the author |
Biographical
non-fiction … a title usually not related to warmth but if I
try hard, I can make it warm. I always thought my parents´ lives
deserve to be remembered. Not so much in form of a dry, boring
biography but in the shape that mirrors them as wonderful human
beings. They deserve a biography composed of fine, humorous, sad, and
witty sketches from their life. Such scenes reveal their spirit and
personality. . . .
GrgaSandra Ljubljanovic © Copyright 2022 by Sandra Ljubljanovic |
 Photo courtesy of Pixabay. |
Some
people leave a lasting impression
even though they barely touched our lives.
Grga was my car mechanic. It was not his real name, nor was he really a car mechanic. He was a retired soldier, an engineer by profession, but repairing vehicles and vessels was something he truly enjoyed. He told me his name and surname when we met, and again after a few years while he was checking the brakes of my car on a lonely gravel road by the river, but I forgot it in a matter of minutes. Everybody simply called him Grga. . . .
even though they barely touched our lives.
Grga was my car mechanic. It was not his real name, nor was he really a car mechanic. He was a retired soldier, an engineer by profession, but repairing vehicles and vessels was something he truly enjoyed. He told me his name and surname when we met, and again after a few years while he was checking the brakes of my car on a lonely gravel road by the river, but I forgot it in a matter of minutes. Everybody simply called him Grga. . . .
More...
StrangersJ. S. Kierland © Copyright 2022 by J. S. Kierland |
 Photo by Lisa courtesy of Pexels. |
Memory
and time run
together when you get older and a smile from a stranger can tumble
you back through decades of cigarette smoke and desires you’d
forgotten long ago. It was one of those uncertain smiles that dropped
me back into a time when I was taking post grad courses in the city
that never sleeps. . . .
The LeapEkaterina Golovina © Copyright 2022 by Ekaterina Golovina |
 Photo by Martin Wyall on Unsplash |
There’re eight of us left. Someone would say we’re stuck Up here. That’s not right. We have it chosen this way.
We
live in a community called El Salto. Its name may be translated as
“waterfall”, referring to a cascade in the gorge that has
been dry for years. Our village is surrounded by mountains and woods.
The only paved road runs across it. No one has
even been bothered to give the
route a name. Maps refer to it simply as “The direction to the
lagoon.”. . .
Home Away From HomeMichael Eaton © Copyright 2022 by Eaton |
 |
The
summer of 1959 after my junior year I took a job that required me to
move into a funeral home and help with various tasks around the home.
My dad explained that he had the same job when he was younger, and in
speaking to the owner, discovered they were looking for someone for
the summer, and asked if I wanted to take the job. Always eager for
new adventures I said “Yes.”. . .
Perseverance Pays A Great DealNonhlanhla Annah Thusi © Copyright 2022 by Nonhlanhla Annah Thusi |
 The author's two self published books. |
Life
is the survival of the fittest, you’ve got to learn to give a
fist and take one, to fall and stand up while keeping hope. I am
Annah Thusi, based in South Africa, from a small township called
Refengkgotso at Deneysville city. From birth the dice of life didn’t
roll in my favour, I felt the harsh treatment of life yet didn’t
give up. . . .
I Am An Aquarian Deal With ItLove Hurts But We Keep On TryinngTatenda Alex Chirambira © Copyright 2022 by Tatebda Alex Chirambira |
 Photo courtesy of Pixabay. |
. . . .In
my entire life I have never been more eager to end a conversation
with anyone but at that certain point I felt that the 8 second mark
on my screen signified that maybe I had made a wrong judgment
call. . . .
All Cried OutUzoamaka Onwubiko © Copyright 2022 by Usoamaka Onwubiko |
 Photo by-Juan-Pablo-Serrano-Arenas-courtesy of Pexels. |
I
grew up in a family of 4. 3 girls and a boy I was the third child. My
mom was an amazing woman who in spite of my father's negligence to
the family didn't stop to give love to us. My father was never there
never cared about our well being my mother in her little power tried
to see we were attended to. . . .
IonaSusan Salot Gaumer © Copyright 2022 by Susan Salot Gaumer |
 Photo of Columba's bay courtesy of Pixabay. |
In 1984 my husband and I
spent time in Scotland where he presented a scientific paper at a
meeting in Glasgow. Expecting a tired industrial city, by surprise we
discovered Glasgow to be lively and delightful. The Lord Mayor,
hoping to attract more such events, hosted a grand dinner for the
gathered scientists in their splendid art gallery. While Dick was in
meetings I explored lovely gardens, Whistler’s childhood home,
and meandered into several churches. Long interested in Celtic
spirituality and the life of St. Columba, I had been hoping we could
visit the island of Iona. . . .
|
Sue's Writing Desk
A Tale for Memorial Day William Wayne Weems © 2022 by William Wayne Weems |
 Photo of the Fred Cooper family. |
Nearly
two weeks ago my Spouse Annie Sue and I soberly viewed an isolated
metal outbuilding which is set outside the high fence surrounding the
rear of her West Tennessee family farmhouse. The sliding doors had
been wrenched off. . . .