By Gbenga Kajopaye I lost my mum when I was ten, barely four months from being eleven. I can still hear the spine-chilling, visceral scream when my dad found her body just outside the bathroom. It was a rude awakening for my brother and I as we both scampered out of bed, still half asleep. … Continue reading Death: The Unsung Hero
If You Leave, Where Will You Go?
By Lisa Hoelzer I recently left the strict high-demand religion I belonged to for the past thirty years. The values and practices associated with my faith shaped every part of my life: family priorities, Sunday behaviors, clothing, friendships, political attitudes, and more. A few years ago, I began to be disillusioned not only with my … Continue reading If You Leave, Where Will You Go?
Saying Goodbye in Key West
By Sarah Brennan “Child please, you made it safely! Praise God.” My Aunt Ruthie’s exclamations of greeted me in the small arrivals’ terminal at the Key West Airport. After a day of travel from California I was relieved, and slightly energized, to have finally made it. The warm, humid, tropical air enveloped me as we … Continue reading Saying Goodbye in Key West
A Canadian Tragedy
By Sherry Wong But your profile says… A friend of mine helped me with the profile. She actually changed it for me. With my old profile, nobody ever contacted me. I may as well not exist. So, this friend suggested that I modify my profile a little bit. It helped, didn’t it? I got your … Continue reading A Canadian Tragedy
Me and the Chandler Mall
By Debra White In mid-October 2001, a sprawling shopping complex including a two-level mall known as Chandler Fashion Square, opened in the East Valley area of Phoenix to rave reviews. Critics said malls were fading away and questioned whether the new mall would succeed. I shrugged off the doom and gloom. Someone always nitpicked, didn’t … Continue reading Me and the Chandler Mall
Life Lessons I Learned From My Cat
By Leslee Kahler I have had cats in my life since I was born, I can’t say I owned any of them as any cat owner knows the cat owns you , you don’t own the cat. Over the years I have learned much from my cats, but the greatest lessons I learned were patience, … Continue reading Life Lessons I Learned From My Cat
When Fearlessness Fades
By Cynthia Yancey Happy Mother’s Day, Mom! my oldest son texted me. Can I take you flying this afternoon? Yes! I immediately texted back, happy to be remembered. Happy to think of getting back up over these lovely, old mountains in one of those tiny, little planes like I used to fly myself. The day … Continue reading When Fearlessness Fades
1973 Laundromat
By Carl Scharwath There are so many happy times and memories in a young person’s life. A first love, first kiss, first car, high school, and college graduations and the most transformative-your very own home. Your first place represents freedom, now you can do whatever you love with no parental restrictions and even perhaps get … Continue reading 1973 Laundromat
Crazophobia
By LKB Boe I coined a word today—crazophobia. Crazophobia is the fear of contracting a mental illness by being in close proximity to or touching a mentally ill person, or by hearing scary stories about the mentally ill. The common cure is to ridicule, ostracize, or otherwise demean the mentally ill person in order to … Continue reading Crazophobia
A Summer Awakening
By Nandhini Natarajan I was deleting all Facebook requests when a name suddenly caught and held me. From thirty-five years ago and ten thousand miles away. I was about to click it open, but my fingers stilled. I didn’t want to see the years on him, didn’t want to bring him into the present. I … Continue reading A Summer Awakening
Academy of the Heart And Mind 