Humanity
Imagine Being Laughed At
Around ten months before I started highschool, I auditioned to play in my future school’s strings ensemble and to be a cellist in their orchestral strings regional arts program. What a mouthful, right? The audition went like this: greet the teacher, play two scales, play a piece, talk about myself, get my loyalty to the crown (otherwise known as the expensive instrument i carried around) questioned, leave with a headache.
By Ako Smith4 years ago in Confessions
The "Pet Peeve" Edition. Top Story - February 2022.
Two years into this and everyone is annoyed, right? What were once minor grievances have now escalated to anger inducing tantrums. I don't go out much, but I did on Thursday. It had snowed, the roads were slippery and drivers had to be extra vigilant. I saw a small car (I mean small enough that even a child could reach the roof) coming towards me and the only snow that had been removed was what the windshield wipers had pushed off. A while ago, I would have just rolled my eyes. Three days ago, I saw fit to yell obscenities (pointless, I know - no one could hear me) and flip him the bird.
By Karena Graca4 years ago in Confessions
I Want to Be Over Racism
I could've grabbed the strap to my bag at any time The leather tote that held my small purse, laptop, iPad, and journal hung by one of its straps from my shoulder as I tugged my carry-on out of the airplane's overhead compartment. “I should fix that,” I thought. But the people behind me were waiting to join the slow queue shuffling down the aisle toward the jetway. I left the outer strap hanging as I steered my suitcase ahead of me like a sleepwalking toddler.
By Jan M Flynn4 years ago in Confessions
Steadfast & True
I feel like I have a giant, gaping hole in my chest. I thought would fix itself over time. But it feels like it's been ripped out of my chest, squeezed until every drop of blood left its cavities and then dropped on the floor. My chest feels hollow and dark.
By Fira 4 years ago in Confessions
A Dream About Cats and My Film Professor
Somehow extra cats were getting inside our house. I counted them… 1…2…3…9? How did 9 cats get in our house? And a raccoon? They were sleeping under the couch, reclining in chairs, and staring out windows. They slept on the floor, wandered around for food, and played with toys.
By Andrea Lawrence4 years ago in Confessions
Reading with Martín, the Boy Who's Best at Playing
Martín tells me he doesn’t want to learn to read, and he won’t need it in his life. “No?” I say, perplexed. It throws me. How do I prove to a TV-obsessed 8-year-old that reading will benefit him? I don’t want to tell him, “You’ll need it to get into college” or “If you don’t learn to read, you’ll struggle to even apply for jobs.” Those reasons feel too external, too capitalistic, not focused enough on the singular pleasure of reading good books.
By Lissa Bay4 years ago in Confessions
Oh to DREAM
When I began my journey to selflove I hadn't actually allowed myself to accept the possiblility that I deserved to heal. I couldnt imagine living in a world where people accepted me. For what I'm sure felt MUCH longer than it actually was, I felt alone, left out, I was cold. Living with certainty that I deserved how I felt. I had internalized the idea that I was unloveable believing that IF love did exsist it wasn't something I'd get. At a very young age alienation began to feel comfortable it became my normal. I quickly forgot what it was like to not hate most-everything. I searched for reasons to explain my exsistance, I begged others to vocalize the things they appreciated that I hadn't allowed myself to see. I was so focused on the bad I had never given myself the chance to be greatful for what was around me. I had tunnel vision; there was a storm cloud overhead constantly, I never wanted to run from my pain I wanted to sulk in it I thought it belonged with me. It wasnt until I felt sufficated under the weight of my emotions that I had learned an important lesson: perception is everything.
By Ashley4 years ago in Confessions
Synchronization
It all started with a rush of heartache and a broken spirit. The head on my shoulders fell to my chest, where all was seemingly lost. No one prepares you for the roller coaster of emotions when someone wrongs you, yet somehow we continue to climb the mountain. However, what happens when the mountain starts to crumble as you begin to climb? In my experience, I tripped on those rocks and died that day.
By TcFarrand4 years ago in Confessions
Mentor of the Obscure
Dear Pedro (Charlie Tuttle), If it wasn’t for you, I don’t know who I would be. When I met you, I was a confused kid, trapped in webs of false ideas and social isolation, praying for a beacon of something resonant to my buried self. I had just moved back to Northern California after a whirlwind of ill-suited home situations in Tucson, Arizona. I remember that when I moved in, I noticed you never left your house except once a week and in the middle of the night going to God knows where. You were always keeping away from people and had only the occasional visitor of very mysterious sort. I was scared of introducing myself, but felt curious about you and about this other world outside our little house littered with my father's various Indian god statues and presumptions.
By Tashi Rengei 4 years ago in Confessions
With Love
To my hero, I have seen the work you do when no one else seems to care. You give a voice to the people that have long been lost. Ancient stories and artifacts that others want to study, you placed back with their owners. You know our people are not just an artifact and a thing to be studied. You have stressed and fought an uphill battle with museums and peoples that see us as just another number. You fight for the children in our school so they have a voice. You fight for them to have books in our language. You work even when your work should be done.
By Desiree Wetz4 years ago in Confessions
