family
Family unites us; but it's also a challenge. All about fighting to stay together, and loving every moment of it.
On Fairer Tides
The ocean is a brutal mistress. On such a day as this, she forces my hand. She calls me forth whilst pushing me away. A floating mammoth of sails and wooden beams stands proudly before me. Salty foam licking at its bow, desperate to taste the ship once more. A cool ocean breeze whisks off the canvas and causes it to flutter excitedly high above. For years, I imagined being on a foreign shore. I longed to be a noble explorer in far-off lands. I imagined building a new life following the path of the winds. I pictured the spray in my hair and adventure abundant. At the cusp of a year’s wait and a harsh winter, the dream can be mine.
By Emily Cheatham5 years ago in Humans
Loss & Regret
Do you ever look back on moments of your life, typically before it took a downward turn, and questioned whether your memories reflected reality? It’s easy to maintain this idyllic picture in your mind, as if what came before was sitting on the edge of perfection, before it was ripped away from you.
By V A Harker5 years ago in Humans
Adrift
Liquid fire ran through her body with each contraction. She felt the heat may burst her open if not for the cool sea air pinning itself to every cell of her body. Her eyes scanned the darkness in terror as she hid away to labour. The smell of the old rope the fishermen use in their dories, their oilskins hanging limp from the hook. The Twine Shed wasn’t the ideal location to have a baby, but nobody would find her here at night, and she would be protected form the cold North Atlantic wind.
By Sara Dunderdale5 years ago in Humans
Families Aren't All Perfect
On June 26, 1989, I prematurely made my way into the world. I wasn’t due for another 2 months. My family quickly helped my parents move into the tiny house they had just bought. It wasn’t extravagant by any means, but it would do. It needed a lot of work done, but it was what they could afford at the time. Besides, my dad was really handy when it came to repairs. For the next 3 years, my mom and dad figured out their new life with a child. On January 10, 1993, my sister Rachael was born. She was a little red-head with shirley temple curls. I now had a partner in crime as she got older. Someone I could play with...and fight with. Once she outgrew the crib, we got bunk beds for our room. And then on July 14, 1996, we had yet another adjustment to make. My sister Amanda was born. And then there were 5...and a dog...all in our tiny house. A crib and bunk beds all in the same room. On the outside, everyone thought we were doing so well. Little did they know, our family was far from ok.
By Joy Beyond the Dark5 years ago in Humans
The Christening
“We are going to be so late, are you ready yet?” “It’s alright for you, you didn’t have to feed two hungry children, you didn’t have to sort out a babysitter, you just swan in from work, shower and put a suit on and you’re done, just remember, I didn’t want this at all.”
By Eric Harvey5 years ago in Humans
Storms bring out what calm seas cannot
Lettie had come out here to die. All her life she had moments like this where her mind rationalized it would be better to be gone from this world than to be part of it. She had driven out to the dock and untethered her parents' ship from where it had sat for years. There was a film of slime all over the controls but other than that she smiled when engine sputtered on.
By yanina maysonet5 years ago in Humans
Patchy & Mitch
Somewhere in the mountains, in a small space with the smell of lavender lingering around. Coming from a candle placed on a square rag. There are apple kernels and chocolate wrappers crumpled in a pile. Scraps of cloth and tattered blankets lying on the ground. Used as beds for the two siblings, an older brother and younger sister tasked by their father to survive 7 nights on their own. Hone their skills as a hunter and scavenge while he went solo on a sailing mission. So, they took camp in a pit in a mountain next to the docs. Planning to catch fish for the duration of their stay. Although on most days they had empty stomachs since Mitch didn't like when his hands got slimy from the bait and would gag when it squirmed on the hook. For some reason, he was in awe when he saw his cutesy sister with the squeaky voice play with it in her hands. Patchy was different than most girls and Mitch didn't like to fish unlike most boys. It was his turn to get the big meal for the day and every time a meal is had, there is always a tale to tell.
By Lauryn Greene5 years ago in Humans
The Art of Letting Go
Lucy had trouble letting things go. Not in the sense that she held grudges but actual things. It was a fact that Lucy’s home was a museum of memorabilia from her life; worthless but tangible objects that were priceless to her, each infused with special memories. Lucy held on to them, year after year, unwilling to unwind herself from the security that each memory offered her.
By Tammy Baxter5 years ago in Humans
