humanity

For better or for worse, relationships reveal the core of the human condition.

Living with the "Beast"
Living with the “Beast” Coronavirus and its impact on domestic violence When I was a young girl of 10 or 11 years, my mother shared a story with me. As a newly-wed young woman some 20 years before, she had decided to stop in unannounced for a visit with her sister-in-law after shopping one day. As she walked up the pathway towards an open front door, she could hear through the screen door the sound of angry yelling, sobbing, and her sister-in-law’s voice begging her husband to stop beating her. “What did you do?” I asked with wide-eyed concern. “Nothing,” replied my mother. “I turned around and got back in my car. I’d always known Nita* had married an asshole.”
By Christina Perry6 years ago in Humans
How to Feel Connected to Loved Ones Despite the Distance
I’m a 90s baby. I remember my childhood as a mix of new technologies and brightly-colored cartoons. I remember playing with slime and building forts in the backyard. Most importantly, I remember doing all of this with my cousin Danny.
By Alicia Springer6 years ago in Humans
The Need for a Social Conscience
Keeping with what’s been going on in the world lately, I believe it’s important to reinforce just how important it is now and into the future the need to have a social conscience. What do I mean by a social conscience? Boiling down the formal definition to even simpler terms, it is the feeling derived from caring for others more than yourself. You feel the urge to put others’ needs before your own. It does not mean to stop caring for yourself and taking care of your daily needs but to think of others who rely on you and to put them first especially for family members and friends.
By Ben W6 years ago in Humans
A Coronavirus Letter
Hello. Some of you will probably relate to this. For you I want you to realize and remember that we all feel the same way. Other people are experiencing things in a different way. I certainly am not diminishing their experience. There are also those that don’t quite understand. I hope maybe you might see things from a different point of view.
By Fire Dragon Lit6 years ago in Humans
She didn't get the memo
I spend a lot of time on my balcony these days. From my "penthouse" condo. I get to mark the months by the switching out of the billboard, watch the sunset and the sunrise color each day no matter the season, no matter what is going on in my life or in the world, see the beautiful skyline, a beacon of stability, watch every firework display on Fourth of July or New Year's Eve without being stuck in crowds or worrying how I would get home. I also watch people stand at the bus stop waiting to pay two dollars and twenty-five cents to get on a crowded bus to go to work each morning. The numbers of those at the bus stop are getting smaller and the buses aren't nearly as crowded these days.
By Michel Schwartz6 years ago in Humans
Brewing Tea
SUNDAY APRIL 5, 2020 INT: MY TINY LIVING SPACE, SOUTHERN BROOKLYN - MORNING • I woke up at 6:30am..ish • Took an Om, Immunity Defense. With 16oz of Nuun w/vitamins and caffeine.
By Karen Lichtman6 years ago in Humans
The Pursuit of Simplicity
Our lives have changed drastically in the last month. The human need to explore and wander has been stripped from us as a means for our protection. I understand the need to be careful - to be practical. But my heart aches for the journeys I intended to take, and I can't help but count the days.
By Natalie Schweizer6 years ago in Humans
The Dangerous Side of “not giving a F***!”
I recently observed something, that I wrestle with more regularly than I would like, particularly within my family circle.
By Dear Mischka6 years ago in Humans
Current Affairs
Globally in our current affairs of planet Earth we have a number of things happening in a viral way. The first of which set it all in motion a pandemic like never seen before called Coronavirus, sweeping from person to person through every city, town, state and country. Second, globally people and families are at home instead of at work instead of being out in the world. Forced to spend time with one another and realize whats most important in life.
By Kathleen Brewington6 years ago in Humans
To my Super Human Superhero
It is to say the least the person I am writing this about is my inspiration. For 180 days, 1,260 hours, 75,600 minutes, and 4,536,000 seconds they do what very little can. They have built my future as well as anyone else they encounter. Through devoting personalized time they have made me feel as though I matter and for a while it was difficult to find that within myself but this person's constant faith and strength kept me going more than anything. Even in the hardest moments of my day they provided me an escape and outlet without even realizing. In the bleak morning in which I felt like a deadman walking the conversations we had sparked my motivation for that day. It requires so much love and strength to do what they do. They build a path, a future, and a friendship like no other person I've ever met could. As I fell out with my best friend, they were there every step of the way. They called out my BS when needed and let me cry as well. I believe that our world is broken and that so many people are only in it for themselves but it is people like this person that change my perspective entirely and make me hopeful. So many people I know hurt but this person has so much inner strength that they manage to take away some of the hurt and save each person a little. Many people in their position would never have given me the time of day or be able to impact me the way this person has. I tell them my goals and immediately they are there giving me ways to achieve them. They believe in my ability more than I ever have. I tell them my fear and immediately they refute them and help shoulder some of it, making it a little less scary. I tell them my crazy strange theories and immediately we discuss it in depth, making it feel as though it is the only thing that matters in the world. They, unlike others, have showed me the darkness in life but also given me ways to cope and adapt to it. They have showed me, as well as the scary side, the laughter and happiness that excretes from every living thing and taught me to look at the bright side.
By ava6 years ago in Humans
Quarantined with an Abuser
All across the world, we are grappling with COVID-19 and the struggle to contain it. Schools have shut down, large gatherings are banned, churches are closing and even chilling at your local park is being patrolled by police. We are learning new terms like social distancing and flattening the curve. We are being urged to do our civic duty and help slow the spread of the virus by limiting our social interactions. This is the way we can help our health system respond to the virus and help stop the spread of the disease to the most vulnerable.
By Brown Eyed Girl6 years ago in Humans
The Audacity of Man
The Audacity of Man By Patrick San Francesco Among all the species, we consider ourselves the most superior. Religion is one of the biggest sponsors to this belief. The feeling that we have dominion over all of creation lends to this concept. The irony of it is, there is definitely nothing that is superior about us, except our attitude. Our obsession with the need to possess blinds us to the damage we wreak on nature and our fellow humans.
By Philippa Firestone6 years ago in Humans