The Poor Little Matchstick GirlSara Etgen-Baker  © Copyright 2022 by Sara Etgen-Baker |
 Photo of Sara. Property of Sara. |
"The
Poor Little Matchstick Girl" is a memoir and a true,
biographical account of my brief encounter with a neighborhood girl
named Deana—a ragamuffin girl who moved into my childhood
neighborhood for a short period of time. . . .
The Enchanting Story of the Wolf MoonKelly Maida © Copyright 2022 by Kelly Maida |
 Photo
by Richard Loller.
|
There
are those that say a wolf sang the moon into existence. And there are
those that say the moon is a god and that is why the wolves howl.
Because they are worshiping her. I have always loved learning about
the moon. I love to sit before her and adore her. . . .
Chicken Little Goes ShoppingSam DeLeo © Copyright 2021 by Sam DeLeo |
 Photo from Pixabay. |
“What’s
that, Pop-Pop?” Albee said, pointing upward.
“Where?”
said Pop-Pop.
At
71, Pop-Pop, or Earl Sykes, wore thick glasses and his straggly gray
hair rimmed a large bald spot, effecting a bit of the demented
professor look.
“There,”
said his grandson Albee, “in the sky.” . . .
More...
The True Meaning of the HolidaysKelly Maida © Copyright 2022 by Kelly Maida |
 Photo by Richard Loller.
|
My Journey to KolkataChaitanyamoi Ceta © Copyright 2021 by Chaitanyamoi Ceta  |
 Photo by Maud Beauregard on Unsplash |
. . . .I
am reading my school text book in the table. One of the chapters
dealt with the extinct animals and I am looking at the picture of the
woolly mammoth and its long tuskers. In curiosity, I wondered, “Is
it possible that an animal with long tuskers once roamed on the
earth?”. . .
Life Before The InternetJames Osborne © Copyright 2021 by James Osborne  |
 Photo by andre govia on Unsplash. |
Our water dipper looked much like a soup ladle. Everyone
in our family and many neighbors used it to drink water from a
galvanized pail perched at one end of the kitchen counter. We didn’t
know then, in the late 1940s, about the dangers from lead solder on
the seams, or sharing the dipper was causing the whole family and
others to come down with colds or the flu, and us kids with measles,
mumps and chickenpox. . . .
Holiday MagicDeon Matzen © Copyright 2021 by Deon Matzen |
 Boy and Dog Park, Langley, Washington. Photo courtesy of the author. |
On a cold clear day
in December, an old gentleman sits by himself on a bench near a
bronze sculpture of the Boy and His dog, located in a small park on
First Street in Langley. . . .
|
Danley
& Coy, Young Adventurers
© Copyright 2021 by James L. Cowles
|
It
was a cold winter day, too cold for the two barely teen boys to find
any comfort in outdoor fun. There were no computer games in 1954 and
little else electronically to entertain besides a black and white TV,
with a 10" screen and only three stations to choose from. . . .
|
Harry's Remorse
© Copyright 2021 by James L. Cowles
|
|
Snow
flurries were flying and the temperature was rapidly dropping.
Christmas eve had finally come to the little Kentucky township of
Lyndon. Harry had just turned sixteen last summer and was
thinking about girls and cars and not much else. Those who
knew
him, knew he was always thinking, "what's in it for me."
but now, as Christmas approached, he had become even more
self-centered. . . .
|
Blackberry Brandy Joyce Benedict © Copyright 2021 by Joyce Benedict |
 Photo by Daniele Levis Pelusi on Unsplash |
. . . .The operation completed
I awoke with my
right arm encased in a thick cast from shoulder to hand. It was
Christmas 1952. I had just undergone the second of three orthopedic
operations performed due to polio contracted when I
was
four. I cried quietly each night from pain, self-pity and
loneliness. I wanted to be partying. I was just a
junior
in high school. . . .
|
Easy Kill
© Copyright 2021 by James L. Cowles
|
This
might interest a few of you, I don't know. It started as a story a
friend told me, that was just too hard to believe. If you have a
couple of minutes, I hope you'll read it and give me your thoughts. . . .
|
What Lies Beneath
|
|
The
foundation of our old farmhouse was dry laid fieldstone, which Dad
pointed in the early 1940’s when he placed a concrete pad for
the new furnace. The pad covered the central portion of the dirt
floor, leaving much of the rest of the cellar under the midsection
and the barn apartment unimproved. Never one to waste builders’
material, Dad pointed much of the stone foundation at the same time,
using the remaining mortar. . . .
|
The Abandoned
|
Photo by the author. |
This story tells how I as an individual who likes to think we have
forgotten our roles the way our daily lives take us on. Storeroom is
one place we rarely spend time tidying up or even use our free time
thinking bout what contains inside. I decided to open this door and I
see a different self. . . .
Lost in SwitzerlandJustina Ogodo © Copyright 2021 by Justina Ogodo |
 Photo by Patrick Robert Doyle on Unsplash |
. . . . The
journey was totally unplanned, and it was past midnight as we
wandered about in a foreign land. We had never visited Switzerland
before, neither did we understand the language. Everywhere we turned
was like a dead end — the streets were deserted, of course. . . .
No More InningsLew Goddard Edited by Anne Goddard © Copyright 2021 by Lew Goddard |
 Photo by Christopher Campbell on Unsplash |
That
felt extremely good! There it goes, the baseball I just hit! Up, up,
soaring toward the fence, and over it! My twenty fourth, an even two
dozen, home runs for my team. . . .
The Seagull'Joyce Benedict © Copyright 2021 by Joyce Benedict  |
 Photo by John Higgitt on Unsplash |
. . . . In the summer of 1984 I had decided to take
a trip. I
was recovering from what had begun as a beautiful relationship, but
ended by being destroyed by the ravages of alcoholism. The trip was
my prescription for a broken heart. I believed it
was
impossible to ever love again. This man had satisfied me
intellectually, emotionally, physically and
spiritually. I
was 47, mourning the loss, and drained in every way from my efforts
to ‘cure him.’ The change of scenery eagerly
anticipated. . . .
Half-Starved As A Child, She Fed EveryoneLife Lessons Mama Taught MeKarla Bowen Herman © Copyright 2021 by Karla Bowen Herman |
 Drawing of Dortha as a girl. Property of the author. |
Everyone who
comes into my house for the first time always comments on the wall of
photos featuring family members cooking in the kitchen. It is to
honor my mother, Dortha Fox Bowen, who was half-starved as a child,
but made sure her younger siblings were fed—as well as everyone
around her, for the rest of her life. . . .
More...
The Morning After The MurderI Unwittingly Went To The Murderer's HouseKarla Bowen Herman © Copyright 2021 by Karla Bowen Herman |
 Photo by Rachel Lees on Unsplash |
He
was STOMPED to
death! Who murdered this young, well-liked police officer?
You
are about to read a
secret I have kept for 45 years. Something happened when I was almost
16 years old that chilled me to the bones. I have never revealed it
to my parents, my siblings, or even to my friends—past or
current. Only my husband (who was my boyfriend at the time it
happened) has heard my account. . . .
A Mother Always 'In The Mood'Joyce Benedict © Copyright 2021 by Joyce Benedict |
 Photo by Jens Thekkeveettil on Unsplash |
. . . . It was April 12, 1945. My sisters and I
came home
from school one day to our little house in Corpus Christi, Texas. It
was deathly quiet. We three looked at one another questionably.
Always, mother would be ironing in the living room, a stack of
clothes piled high on the floor, Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman and
other familiar sounds blaring
away on the old
Philco radio. My mother dancing her boogie-woogie
style as
she ironed. . . .
You Can't Always Tell A Priest By His CollarFrank Stern © Copyright 2021 by Frank Stern |
 Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash |
Rented
klieg
lights illuminated the concrete walkway, lending a festive air to the
quiet suburban neighborhood. Cameras snapped and whirled as community
leaders, church dignitaries, parishioner families and invited guests
in animated conversation trekked their way through the open maple
doors. The minister said “Welcome” to each person who
entered – as did the President of the Board and the President
of the Women’s Auxiliary. The local Methodist church was
dedicating its new sanctuary. . . .
My Most Memorable VisitsOkoye Gosife Janefrances © Copyright 2021 by Okoye Gosife Janefrances |
 Photo by James Coleman on Unsplash |
. . . .The
5th of August, 2017 was a day I will never forget. That very day, we
were to have the grand finale or the national level of a quiz I had
been participating in right from the parish level. I and my partner
together with a few others including the MCA animators travelled to
Benin for the quiz to represent Lagos Archdiocese being that I was
the first and my partner was the second position at the archdiocesan
level. . . .
Covid CastawayStanley Bloom © Copyright 2021 by Stanley Bloom |
 Photo by Ross Stone on Unsplash |
My
travel story begins
with a scheduled three-week visit to family members in California.
That was early in March last year. Countless flight cancellations,
travel restrictions and ESTA extensions later, instead of being six
thousand miles away, I was still there. But life for me was not to be
a simple matter of seldom venturing beyond the front door,
mask-wearing and social distancing whenever I did step outside,
thoroughly washing hands and ordering supplies online for delivery.
Much more drama lay in store. . . .
Cross Country JauntTiffany Smith © Copyright 2021 by Tiffany Smith |
 Photo by Julia Karnavusha on Unsplash |
On
June 2nd,
2020, at ten am in the morning, I started driving out of Long Beach,
California, where I had lived for several years, toward a friend’s
house in Millsboro, Delaware, not far from the city where I grew up
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. But Philly, with relatives of mine
still stuck in 20th
century thinking, wasn’t my ending destination. I wanted to go
and be of help, service, and what I thought was to be love, to a
friend who had suffered some very personal losses in her life. . . .
|
War and Woman
|
|
I
was busy playing on the family farm when I heard the sounds. A boom,
shots firing, fear and Parisa’s mother screaming out her name.
Sounds that are never heard in the village of Boustaan. I could hear
fear, chaos and the need to escape in the sounds around me. The loud
noise of bullets firing sounded like pop-corn bursting in the fire.
They sped past the terrified villagers and once in a while someone
would fall to the ground. . . .
|
Behind The Masks Shivaji K. Moitra
©
Copyright 2021 by Shivaji K. Moitra
|
 Photo by Swarnavo Chakrabarti on Unsplash |
The hellish curse, the inferno, the vicious
plague, the
pandemic, by whatever name we may wish to describe the most terrible
scourge of modern times, still seems to be an understatement. . . .
The Philippines is a Rice Place to LiveGloria Lauris © Copyright 2021 by Gloria Lauris |
 Photo property of the author. |
When
people talk about SE Asia, typically Thailand, Malaysia, Bali and
Indonesia spring to mind. But the Philippines? This ‘Pearl of
the Orient Sea’ is often overlooked by tourists and by foreign
retirees as an affordable option. . . .
Camping and Covid-19Sally Quon © Copyright 2021 by Sally Quon |
 Photo property of the author. |
“How’s
that?” My son asked. “Does it have enough air?”
Even
though I could feel the cement pad below the tent brushing my spine,
I was quick to acquiesce. The mattress was firm enough. The problem
was that I weighed too much. If we added any more air, the plug would
just plop out the first time I rolled over in the night. I’d
rather deal with a slightly less than perfect mattress now than deal
with sleeping on the ground later. Besides, my mattress at home was
firm. It wouldn’t be that
different. . . .
My First Glimpse into the Real MexicoMichelle Lin © Copyright 2021 by Michelle Lin |
 Photo owned by the author. |
Is
Chipotle an accurate representation of what Mexican food is like? I
have always been a passionate Mexican food lover. But, people often
laugh at me when I appreciate the burrito bowls from Chipotle,
calling them "Mexican food." Last year, I was fortunate
enough to be selected to attend a language exchange program in Mexico
where I built life-long connections and saw the authentic "Mexican
food." . . .
Campground Gods on Padre IslandJanda Raker © Copyright 2021 by Janda Raker |
 Photo by Brittani Burns on Unsplash |
Like
most gods, campground gods are subtle, almost impossible to perceive,
difficult to determine their wishes and the results of their
judgments. My mom had always told my brother and me to leave the
world a better place than we found it, and I have taken that
literally, in many ways. I wipe off countertops in public restrooms,
volunteer for social-justice organizations, sat on the board of the
local PTA, vote, and of course, tidy up campgrounds I stay in, always
trying to pick up litter around my campsite. . . .
Life Was Calling, And I Had To GoAnkita Bagri © Copyright 2021 by Ankita Bagri |
 Photo by the author. |
. . . .In
her usual disillusioned style, my friend, Prerna, used to say,
“Europe would be the high point of our lives, nothing after
this will ever come close.” Looking back, the 36 days
Euro-trip, was so chock full of memories that every word spoken then,
every thought from those times, became unforgettable. . . . .
Travel Solo, Not AloneHilary 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 a journey fifty
years ago, when she traveled from Canada to Argentina by land and a
little by sea. She traveled solo, but not alone. . . .
Bison, Bear, and Elk - Oh My!Suzanne Anderson © Copyright 2021 by Suzanne Anderson |
 Photo by Goutham Ganesh Sivanandam on Unsplash |
Tourist
visit Yellowstone National Park, hoping for wildlife encounters.
Being from the Midwest, I’ve encountered bison in fences and
elk in nature. I’ve even sighted a black bear in my front yard
as I drove into my driveway. My first visit to Yellowstone exposed my
latent fear of grizzly bear. . . .
Deep in the CanyonRobert Sperry © Copyright 2021 by Robert Sperry |
 Photo by Parsa Mahmoudi on Unsplash |
We
continued to sing and laugh in the back seats of the old station
wagon as it rumbled through the wilting early June desert heat. The
excitement and anticipation began to build as we gradually approached
our destination. Finally arriving, we clamored out to get our first
look. As a teenager in the 70’s, I was well practiced at
looking cool. Not much could elicit emotion from me, or so I thought
until I stepped to the edge of the south rim of the Grand Canyon that
bright summer morning. “Wow” was about all I could muster
in breath taking awe of the overwhelming beauty and enormity of it
all. And then the realization truly hit home - we were somehow going
to the bottom to camp for a week. . . .
The Old NormalAditi Neelakantan © Copyright 2021 by Aditi Neelakantan |
 |
It
was the January of 2020 when my sister and I visited the beautiful
country of Vietnam. It had been a couple months of planning, syncing
schedules, drawing up itineraries and occasionally yelling at each
other, but now we were walking into the airport with the sweet
trepidation of having successfully coordinated our first
international trip together. It was around midnight when we walked to
the terminal and patiently waited to board our flight to the city of
Ho Chi Minh. I recited random facts about Vietnam as my sister, or
Akka as I
called her, nodded, politely feigning interest. Life was good. . . .
Somewhere In BetweenArch Ramesh © Copyright 2021 by Arch Ramesh |
 Photo by Bna Ignacio on Unsplash |
. . .Walking
down streets like these, debating between the two-dollar fresh juice
at the local hawker center or the eight-dollar bottled juice at the
retro-chic juice shack, I always found myself in
between these
Singaporean contrasts. Unfazed, I swerved down the scrubbed alleyways
in search of something that fit. Indian by origin, American by
design, I had always found myself trapped in the space in between the
two words...and worlds. . . .
Who Says The Best Trip Is An Unplanned Trip?Tya Ulfah © Copyright 2021 by Tya Ulfah |
 Photo by the author. |
At
exactly 01.00 pm ACST, I stepped out of the bus. Today
was the deadline for the
Finance and
Accounting group task. The course that had
been running since last month was
the
toughest course I have ever taken in my life. How not, this was
a foreign major for me. Luckily, I received an Australian Awards
scholarship, but the program that I followed was a double degree with
a predetermined major. Like it or not, I had
to finish what I started. . . .
A Park Reborn - Gonarezhou National ParkDiane McLeish © Copyright 2021 by Diane McLeish |
 Photo by the author. |
The
roads less travelled in Africa lead to exhilarating places and some
of the most spectacular scenery in the world. The more I travel in
Africa the more I yearn to discover new wild, remote and untouched
areas. For me the African bush is a feast for the senses with
different excitement and energy every day. . . .
Come Away, Step Across the TideAvani Sudhakar © Copyright 2021 by Avani Sudhakar |
 Photo by Ravit Sages on Unsplash |
Your
journey begins across the beach.
It’s
five o’clock, and the tide is still low. To your left, you have
the murky green waters of the sea, and to your left, you have the
brownish sands of the beach. Take off your shoes or sandals; roll up
your trouser legs. You begin your trek on wet sand that the tide has
shaped into lovely ridges. . . .
A View From AboveEdie Jones © Copyright 2021 by Edie Jones |
 Photo by Jordan Steranka on Unsplash |
ACA
2000, Albuquerque, New Mexico. That is what I read on my cup, as I
sit here relaxed looking down at the waves. 2000 was the year
of the
last American Camping Association conference my husband Ted and I
attended. . . .
SharingEdie Jones © Copyright 2021 by Edie Jones |
 Photo by Ethan Richardson on Unsplash |
My
heart is heavy as I listen to the radio and hear devastating
news from around the world. First there’s the terror
experienced in Afghanistan as the Taliban takes over the
country. Then Haiti and the horror of the earthquake and now a
torrential storm that has them reeling. On top of that, are
the
many reports of hospitalization and deaths from the
Delta
Variant, in our country and all corners of the globe. And
closer to
home, wildfires burning out of control with smoke cascading
down
upon us and a Hurricane gaining force on the east coast. . . .
Lost and Found in Los MochisBrian Wettlaufer © Copyright 2021 by Brian Wettlaufer |
 Photo by Marv Watson on Unsplash |
Are
coincidence, fate, and good fortune different experiences than divine
intervention? I suppose it depends upon circumstances and your
personal convictions. I faced this question head-on years ago while
on a journey through Mexico. . . .
Foreign AnxietyStephanie Maldonado © Copyright 2021 by Stephanie Maldonado |
 Photo by Victor Rodriguez on Unsplash |
Medellín,
Colombia.
The once upon a time home of Griselda Blanco and Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria, infamous for the creative paths they paved in life. Idolized by those aspiring to follow in their footsteps, by those who enjoy a clever mind and a damn-good true story. Loathed by those who disagreed with their unorthodox ways and those who are first hand victims of their actions. . . .
Indelible India\\Mari Zipes Wallace © Copyright 2021 by Mari Zipes Wallace |
 Photo by Sonika Agarwal on Unsplash |
My
husband, Alan, suffers from “itchy feet”. No, not
Athlete’s Foot...but the itchy feet that one associates with a
wanderlust, a great desire to hit the road. In essence: to travel. And
ever since we’ve been a couple, I’ve benefited from
this desire of his. . . .
The Pedestrian BaritoneLaurie Hall © Copyright 2021 by Laurie Hall |
 "Bari, Italy" is by L.C.Nřttaasen. Image provided by CCSearch.com. |
Bari, Italy. Remembering it, I have an
impression of
broad, bland boulevards and grandiose civic buildings drenched in
unrelenting sun. And the blister blooming on my ankle inside my
hiking boots. . . .
An Unlikely BunchMarie-Eve Bernier © Copyright 2021 by Marie-Eve Bernier |
 Photo by Bianca Ackermann on Unsplash |
A
short story about how 11.5 people found themselves in a large van in
Poland
Of
the roughly 24 million tourists who visited Poland in 2014, very few
were from Quebec. In fact, the number is so low that no one collects
data on just how many. Which is why it is astonishing that I found
myself in a large van in Poland with my very Quebecois family and
husband-to-be. . . .
| Journey Into Kurdistan
Eva Bell
© Copyright 2021 by Eva Bell
|
 Photo by kimia rezaie on Unsplash |
In
January 1977, the
Shah of Iran was still on his throne and entry into the country was
not as difficult as it is today. I was on my way to a small Mission
hospital situated high up in the Zagros ranges, which catered to the
health needs of the Kurds of Iran. . . .
Sleepless Near SeattleJohn C. Hollinger © Copyright 2021 by John C. Hollinger |
 Photo by the author. |
Rain,
coffee, granola, and grunge. As we hit the outskirts of the Mecca of
all these things, none were on our Seattle to-do list.
This
visit would be a targeted suburban strike: two goals, three to four
hours. In and out, quick and easy. Or not. . . .
More. . . .
Culture Shocked (West Coast Bias)John Smistad © Copyright 2021 by John Smistad |
 Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash |
Lioness in the Maasai MaraCathleen Gianetta © Copyright 2021 by Cathleen Gianetta |
 Photo by the author. |
My
husband and I traveled to Amboseli and the Maasai Mara in Kenya in
October 2019, just before the recognition of the
COVID-19 pandemic. This story is one of many amazing experiences we had with the help of experienced guides.
Not far from the dirt road, in the shade of a sausage tree, the lioness sat perfectly still with an air of calm, but also with a sense of command that perhaps resulted from the tension in her muscles that gave an impression of high alert. . . .
COVID-19 pandemic. This story is one of many amazing experiences we had with the help of experienced guides.
Not far from the dirt road, in the shade of a sausage tree, the lioness sat perfectly still with an air of calm, but also with a sense of command that perhaps resulted from the tension in her muscles that gave an impression of high alert. . . .
The Feeling of Nationality Beyond the Boundary of Nation (Country)Milan Rijal © Copyright 2021 by Milan Rijal |
 Photo by Rach Teo on Unsplash |
The
recent U.S.
Bangla Aircraft crash in Tribhuvan International Airport reminded me
of my trip to Thailand. It was a matter of pleasure and honor for me
to have the opportunity to represent Nepal in the international forum
as a young apprentice. It was back in October 7, 2017, I was making
my first international flight heading to Bangkok. My flight had been
reserved in the Thai Airways by the travel agent named 'Sunshine
Travel Agency' of Jawlakgel. . . .
Folly BeachKamuka © Copyright 2021 by Kamuka |
 Photo by Bre Smith on Unsplash |
Travel
is about so much more than external travel. I was born in South
Carolina but I grew up in Wisconsin and have lived in New York City
for 30 years. Time travel seems impossible they say, but the past is
always with us. I’ve always wanted to connect with South
Carolina where I was born. . . .
Bite, Chew, Swallow, RepeatJohn C. Hollinger © Copyright 2021 by John C. Hollinger |
 John and Heike. Photo by the author. |
When
you think of Maine, cookies and cream might not be your first thoughts.
But after an unexpected challenge for the ages, John now knows that
Maine is all about makin’ Whoopie… Pies.
With Heike riding shotgun, Boo asleep in the back, and Tino sunning himself on the dash, John navigated the backroads of Maine. In addition to being transportation across exciting new lands, our little red Kia Rio hatchback had also been acting as our home away from home the past two months. . . .
With Heike riding shotgun, Boo asleep in the back, and Tino sunning himself on the dash, John navigated the backroads of Maine. In addition to being transportation across exciting new lands, our little red Kia Rio hatchback had also been acting as our home away from home the past two months. . . .
Driving Down Highway 101Deon Matzen © Copyright 2021 by Deon Matzen |
 Photo by Georg Eiermann on Unsplash |
Sounds intriguing?
Sounds like fun? I must admit, it was only a small section of 101,
the Pacific Coast Highway. We are camping in late October. Not in a
tent, but we are camping in a trailer. We started in Port Townsend,
Washington this morning and have traveled to the Long Beach
Peninsula, the southern and western-most region of Washington State. . . .
What No One Told MeHeidelberg, Germany 1969Deon Matzen © Copyright 2021 by Deon Matzen |
 Photo by Yutacar on Unsplash. |
It
was autumn and my sister and I were off to Europe for a grand tour,
more like modest, but still a great trip for two young women on their
own. I had been working for about three years after I had graduated
from college and had finally saved enough so I was treating myself to
a trip, to a special vacation. . . .
Camping in Torrential RainsDeon Matzen © Copyright 2020 by Deon Matzen |
 Photo by the author... |
We
couldn’t have expected much other than torrential rains
visiting this time of year. It is late October. Not much happens on
the Long Beach Peninsula in October. It is Thursday and the hot deal
tonight is prime rib at the Lost Roo. . . .
More...
A Trip Through CultureNischal Samrat © Copyright 2021 by Nischal Samrat |
 Photo of the author. |
Never
had I known that a single day field trip could be experienced like a
fortuitous cultural unearthing opportunity at a young age. I can
still feel the reminiscence of my indelible field trip of my fifth
grade. It made me understand the rich cultural roots of my ancestors,
marvelous places yet to be visited out there in this enormous world,
and how the modernization has led an impact on our culture and the
new generation of citizens. . . .
To Taste the Moments of Coffee: the Roots & Resiliency of a Rio de Janeiro Café OwnerKate Morin © Copyright 2021 by Kate Morin |
 Photo by Agustin Diaz Gargiulo on Unsplash |
As
an ICU travel nurse on the front-lines of the pandemic, I took 4
months off to rest, recover, and live in Rio de Janeiro. During my
time here, I met a lovely woman named Anna. This is Anna’s
story amidst the backdrop of current day Rio de Janeiro. . . .
Portal, North DakotaNikki Everts © Copyright 2021 by Nikki Everts |
 Photo by the author. |
“So,
do you have a gun?” The young US customs official asked me as I
stood across the counter from him and his two colleagues.
“No!” I replied. His question made me feel cranky and offended. I was a middle aged, verging on old, woman tired from a week of driving in the summer heat without air conditioning. Raised in the US, I had moved to Canada in my twenties and fully accepted my adopted country’s persona of non-violent civility. Couldn’t the young man see that I was a Canadian and therefore unlikely to be carrying a firearm? . . .
It's A Small TownA Generous Act Can Bring TroubleMarcia McGreevy Lewis © Copyright 2021 by Marcia McGreevy Lewis |
To
say that my partner never met a stranger is an understatement. He
chats easily with many generations and has found his way across the
globe by doing what he calls a “shout out.” People are
always happy to give him directions, and the response he gets is
heartwarming. He talks to nurses, barbers, uber drivers, bellmen and
food servers. Board chairs, tech geniuses and doctors--no problem. He
truly cares about getting to know people, and they pick up on his
genuine interest by rewarding him with gratifying interactions. . . .
A Long "Summer" Vacation to RememberJustina Ogodo © Copyright 2021 by Justina Ogodo |
 Photo by Timothy L Brock on Unsplash |
What
do you see when you do groceries in the produce section? I see
hot peppers, and I remember. This story is set in 1974 when I was a
young girl. I was born in a small seaport city with a humble
background. At the age of six, we moved to a bigger city. Like every
city dweller, my siblings and I were unfamiliar with rural life where
most of our extended family resided. Because of our city dwelling,
our cousins in the village often thought differently about us, much
like those living abroad in the Western world, Europe, North America,
etc. My father planned my school long holidays for 1974 for my sister
and me. I was ten years old. We would spend the entire vacation with
our uncle on his farm situated in a rural part of the country. . . .
More...
Reptilian BrainZandi Eberstadt © Copyright 2021 by Zandi Eberstadt |
 Photo by Dominik Lalic on Unsplash |
. . . .Every
doctor talks about me like I’m the problem. Panic DISORDER.
Well, maybe I’m not the problem, the issue is a world that
expects people to live in crates without being anxious. To lug
ourselves around underground tunnels like rats. . . .
Coping With PTSDKelly Maida © Copyright 2021 by Kelly Maida |
I
have already felt like a misfit and that I did not fit in before I
was diagnosed with PTSD. And ever since I found out almost five years
ago that I have Ptsd, I feel now more than ever that I really don’t
fit in. I feel the biggest problem is society does not even
understand ptsd at all. . . .
In Armenia You Would Never StarveElena Bubeeva © Copyright 2021 by Elena Bubeeva |
 Photo by Gor Davtyan on Unsplash |
“If
you were given a chance to see gorgeous mountains higher than the
Alps and embrace Stalinist-style architecture, would you say no?”
asked Alex in a rush. It was summer as I sat idly in Hamburg. He just
received a response from the Chair of Expeditions Committee. . . .
More...
The Revolution or the Co-existence?Somaya El-Absawy © Copyright 2021 by Somaya El-Absawy |
 Photo by Elena Mozhvilo on Unsplash |
To My Beloveds(You know who you are)Kirthana B. Raj © Copyright 2021 by Kirthana B. Raj |
I
haven’t written anything remotely good in the past year and
this was not the piece I intended to begin with, see I have all these
messy webs of stories, poems, essays about pandemic, about all the
new people I got to shake hands with, the new things I got to learn,
the social media and hundreds of others but this is important because
this is all I keep thinking about (so we write what we must, not what
we want). . . .
My Aunt Went To Victoria FallsNatisha Parsons © Copyright 2021 by Natisha Parsons |
 Photo by the author. |
Although this story is written as a story told by a niece, telling of
her aunt’s trip, the trip was taken by my daughter and myself
as a seventieth birthday gift from her to me.
My
Aunt enjoyed telling me about her visit to Victoria Falls in
Zimbabwe. They had a lovely, though short, journey in a South African
plane. She went with her best friend forever. . . .
It's Never EnoughJoyce Benedict © Copyright 2021 by Joyce Benedict |
A most unusual afternoon luncheon in a New York mansion brings a valuable, life lesson to a young married woman. . . .
The Route To My RootSamuel Edward © Copyright 2021 by Samuel Edward |
|
This
nonfiction piece is a travelogue which narrates the
story of how the contest of who gets elected in the revered elders'
council was settled by means of the most traveled person. Here, the
writer had garnered enough experiences through his extensive travels
through countries in the West, East, North and South of Africa. His
traveling adventures subsequently won the crown for him as he emerged
the winner from the pile of
contestants. . . .
The Shine In UsSiti Nabihah © Copyright 2021 by Siti Nibihah |
 Photo by Phil Desforges on Unsplash |
It
has been a pretty good day. So a little dirt on me is fine. It’s
fine. Not that it matters much anyway, with four days passed since my
last bath. I grimaced slightly without looking down on my feet. They
felt damp and cold. Tufts of muddy grass must have taken a grip in
between the spaces of my toes. I wriggled them discomfortingly and
hoped they hadn't touched anything more unpleasant. Clearly, tracing
the vast fields of Altanbulag Sum in Ulaanbaatar at ten degrees
celsius in flip-flops was not a very good idea. . . .
A Trip Back To TimeIlhamul Azam © Copyright 2021 by Ilhamul Azam |
|
“Hey
Ilham, get up!” says my sister while shaking my dozing body.
This
time I didn't ask to let me sleep for five more minutes as the
excitement of going to the most beautiful place in Bangladesh had had
its enchantment for a few days in me. I and my sister get ready on a
foggy morning, this is the first time we see the first sunshine
peeking through our balcony. We don’t have sleep dangling from
our eyes, rather we look forward to having an adventurous experience
incorporating the primitivity of Bandarban. . . .
Though I’d arranged
the time and place, I still found myself hiding in a boutique near
the train station when he showed up. He was in a nice shirt with dark
pants – a slim figure amid the crowd of people filtering
through the station’s entrance. I could see him from the
boutique’s window as he sat down on a bench nearby in the humid
summer heat, resolutely scanning the crowds for me. . . .
|
What Happens Here Barry Purcell © Copyright 2021 by Barry Purcell |
 Photo by Nicola Tolin on Unsplash |
Everything I know about Las Vegas I have learned against my will. My first time, in 2003, was part of an extended honeymoon with my first wife which also saw us take in Hawaii and San Francisco. Originally we had planned to get married in Las Vegas, but it turned out that she did not want our marriage to be a post-modernist statement, filled with irony and self-referential humour. In retrospect, I can see her point. We spent two blurry days in that salt lake neon cabaret, blurry because this city will not allow you to slow down. . . .
The Story of a Mountain GirlNawshin Anjum © Copyright 2021 by Nawshin Anjum |
 Photo by the author. |
There
is a river on one side and mountains on the other side. The green
water of the river seems to merged into the sky. And the mountains?
They will surely touch the sky today. The mountains seem to have
conquered horizon after horizon, standing proudly with heads held
high. They must meet the clouds today. And the blue sky also seems to
have welcomed and wrapped them in a sheet of clouds. The yellow-white
wild flowers on the mountains are like the ornaments on a velvet .Can
you imagine this heavenly beauty? . . .
The KootenyFrank J. Stewart © Copyright 2021 by Frank J. Stewart |
|
It
was 1964 and it was a proper morning of mountains and rising sun.
Quail in the bushes, the Raven discovering some irritant on the beach
below A new day awaited and the young man had decided on a course of
action. It was a moment that he had been awaiting and had done much
preparation for. This was the day that he and his cousin would go to
the high River. The north Kootenay of British Columbia. . . .
Trip Through The Western Part of New MexicoGeorge Pintar © Copyright 2021 by George Pintar |
|
I recently read an
article about the severe traffic congestion on the roadways around
the Albuquerque area, which reminded me of a trip I took from Grants
to Deming. I had anything but congestion on this trip. I was lucky
to see more than a handful of oncoming cars and only a few more
pickup trucks. . . .
El ViejoGiles Ryan © Copyright 2021 by Giles Ryan |
 Photo by DaYsO on Unsplash |
Once you've had a long and
deep immersion in another culture and language it will mark you, and
some things will abide long after, including attitudes and indeed
behaviors previously unknown, so that you become just slightly
someone else, and the effect may not always please you. I have
another proof of this on the Camino. . . .
Re-ConstructionLew Goddard Edited by Anne Goddard © Copyright 2021 by Lew Goddard |
|
I
jumped when Jaxon burst through my
field office door. “Boss, he hollered, come with me, ---hurry!
He turned and ran back to the construction site. . . .
A Prince of ThievesCrime and Antic of a US deported Jamaican YouthWinston Donald © Copyright 2021 by Winston Donald |
|
The
Green Line bus came down the hill with such a speed, missing the
retaining walls of my grandmother’s home by just a foot and braked
suddenly at my gate. The accompanied jolt threw the baggage , boxes and
some jute bags of pumpkins onto the recently
asphalted rural road . I disembarked from the bus and looked to my
right to see the little thief picking up another person’s
property. “ Pumpkin thief” , I shouted jokingly and Prince looked up
with the typical ominous grin , frontal teeth glistening with gold ,
red and green, typical colours that are part
of a Rastafarian attire. The sly look on Prince’s face hid
his devious character that preyed on the village butchers, baker,
shopkeepers, small farmers and even my grandfather the parish
cabbage farmer. . . .
Simon'sLew Goddard © Copyright 2020 by Lew Goddard |
 Photo by Kayle Kaupanger on Unsplash |
This
story is the continuation of another story of the homeless, The
Streets. That was about the time when Simon was on the streets and was
forced to survive. That
story was just the beginning to his new and different life in the big
city.
Simon
has obviously made a name for himself after becoming the manager of
what use to be Helpers and is now Simon’s. . . .
|
Lost and Found
© Copyright 2021 by James L. Cowles
|
|
It was there all this time, I guess, huh(?), but, how could I miss it? I must have walked passed it a thousand times, but if it was there, I missed it. But, every time? No way! Someone must have known I have been looking for it for months; someone who felt guilty they took it, so now they put it where I could find it? But, who and, and, well.... why? . . .
Guilty or Not GuiltyHiliary Chukwu © Copyright 2021 Hilary Chukwu |
|
There
was nothing left. The doctors have tried all they could, they have
exhausted their medical options and nothing seemed to work. The boy
would not still come around. Dr. Smith walked out of the theatre and
the look on his face said it all: all hope was lost! He was the most
senior surgeon in the clinic, so if he could not handle it, then
that’s it. There was no need asking him how Jire was doing, but
his helpless mother had to ask anyway; even if just for the very sake
of doing so. . . .
Never AgainHiliary Chukwu © Copyright 2021 Hilary Chukwu |
|
So
I had to embark on this journey over the weekend, again without my
car and again because my mechanic failed to deliver the job I gave
him to do on the car since two weeks; going on three (a story for
another day). I had to take my nephew back to the village. He had
visited to spend the long holiday with my household. . . .
A Cedar PilgrimageAngelina Saule © Copyright 2021 by Angelina Saule |
|
‘We’ve
made it,’ breathes my mother. With our heads bobbing somewhere
above numerous peaks, with a carpet of thick white cloud approaching,
we’ve finally come to the Tomb of Job (‘Maqam Nabi Ayoub’
in Arabic). The massive checkerboard of negotiations crisscrossing
the mountain ranges are behind us or below us, which, depending upon
the perspective, seems to have dwarfed the daily human activity of
the town Jezzine, where we had just stopped by a friend’s for a
robust coffee. . . .
Webber002Lew Goddard Edited by Anne Goddard © Copyright 2021 by Lew Goddard |
|
It
was just about midnight and he was on his daily, I should say
nightly, walk through an area where the residents were in bed and he
encountered no one. It wasn’t described as a stroll; in fact,
it was a very rapid walk that extended his long legs and stretched
powerful muscles. Muscles that were developed and refined over a long
period in his life. His trip was five miles return summer and winter.
Winter in this city, never saw snow. . . .
Transatlantic CrossingsFrancis Edwards © Copyright 2021 by Francis Edwards |
|
My
grandmother for years and years filled my questioning ears with her
revelations of going forwards and backwards from England and America
on ships. She used to be invited to sing on board many Cunard Ocean
Liners leaving Liverpool, UK to Philadelphia, U.S.A. up the Delaware
River or to New York City. You can imagine how fascinated I was as a
little boy. I knew how to get her talking about her experiences every
time I took down from the mantel piece a wooden replica of an ocean
liner she purchased from one of her trips and held it in my
hands. . . .
The Trip that Was...and Wasn'tAlice Burnett © Copyright 2021 by Alice Burnett |
 Drawing sent by author. |
“Alice,
a white skirt would be nice to travel in on the plane!” said my
mother.To my eyes, a white pleated skirt was the height of fashion,
and I was thrilled. Most of my clothes had been hand-me-downs lately,
and I hadn't minded, but I had just turned thirteen, and fashion
began to matter. “And I'll wear my good suit.” My mother
was all atwitter, and wasn't thinking clearly about the practicality
of such outfits. That's just how people travelled in those days, the
early sixties. . . .
1971 - Hiking the U. S. - A MemoirDon Lubov © Copyright 2020 by Don Lubov |
 Photo by Atlas Green on Unsplash |
Boredom and loneliness could not stand the
adventurous light of this day. They both scattered like unwelcome
insects blinded by the sun. Destiny roared into my apartment like a
freight train on steroids. Bam! Bam! There’s a knock at the door. It’s eight
a.m. on a Saturday. . . .
For EvermorePriyadarshini Chanda © Copyright 2021 by Priyadarshini Chanda |
|
Being
a member of middle class family and being cautious regarding
financial stability at the end of every month, going to extensive
trips was something rare for person like me. But after my fourteenth
birthday for a birthday gift, my parents arranged a trip to the
nearby mountains for three long days. . . .
Of Indian Food and Bhutanese BuddhaMansi J. Sood © Copyright 2021 by Mansi J. Sood |
|
Has
your love for food changed someone else’s
course of life forever? Mine has.This
is a story about my love
for
Rajma-Chawal which led to me becoming a successful matchmaker in a foreign country. . . .
Rajma-Chawal which led to me becoming a successful matchmaker in a foreign country. . . .
MoltedPaul Farran © Copyright 2021 by Paul Farran |
|
Following
Paul
Farran’s survival from a Taliban suicide attack, we accompany
him during his transformational hike along the Camino de Santiago
across Northern Spain, from where he shares his introspections,
struggles, and revelations as he perseveres in his efforts to recover
from trauma. . . .
Searching for SlothsŽiga Povše © Copyright 2021 by Žiga Povše |
 Photo by Richard Loller. |
We are standing next to our car in
the middle of a wide dirt road when a loud bang scares the hell out
of me. I turn around and the biggest iguana I have ever seen lies by
the roadside; it fell from a tree and bounced off the tin shack onto
the road below. Junior, a local surf instructor who agreed to take a
day off to be our guide to the southwest of Costa Rica, runs after
the iguana and brings it back. . . .
Scratching the SurfaceFiona Kamal © Copyright 2021 by Fiona Kamal |
|
Niamh
and I are both gazing abstractedly at the postcard scene before us,
where red-fringed rickshaws buzz like flies around laughing,
visor-shaded tourists, and the odd delivery van snails-paces it
across crowded flagstones, driver dangling an ash-loaded cigarette
patiently out of a wound-down window. . . .
More...
Liesl and MeScott Talbot Evans © Copyright 2021 by Scott Talbot Evans |
 Photo by Farrinni on Unsplash |
The Wake-up CallNancy McAtavey © Copyright 2021 by Nancy McAtavey |
 Photo by the author. |
I
expected my African safari experience to be like one of those
episodes on a travel documentary: happy vacationers aboard a Land
Rover, listening to their guide point out the exotic animals and the
ever-changing landscape of South Africa. My travel brochure never
mentioned just “how up-close and personal” this adventure
would be. . . .
Hiking With FirefliesRenata Pavrey © Copyright 2021 by Renata Pavrey |
 Photo by the author. |
The
world was aglow with sparkling delight. It was Christmas in the
middle of June, as nature lit up in celebration of life itself.
My
love for nature has often taken me trekking and hiking on the
outskirts of the city. I enjoy exploring the outdoors, climbing up
forts, traversing trails, and appreciating life under the blanket of
a night sky. It’s an enchanting experience to skedaddle from
the busyness of city life, even if only for a few hours or days. . . .
Bubbledon CountyMort Morford © Copyright 2021 by Mort Morford |
 Photo by John Moeses Bauan on Unsplash |
If
you
believe that water is water and rocks are rocks, you have not been to
Bubbledon County. . . .
AnaroZaynab Ben Allouch © Copyright 2021 by Zaynab Ben Allouch |
 Photo by Anna Karp on Unsplash |
Being
alone was my biggest fear. And I never thought that destiny will take
my parents and leave me alone against the world.
I quit morning jogging, I couldn’t wake up, I don’t why. After one month, I started feeling powerless and hated myself for that, so I decided to come back to my morning routine even without motivation. . . .
Blue Highway Brew TourRichard Fulton © Copyright 2021 by Richard Fulton |
|
A
beer tasting adventure along the blue highways from San Antonio to
Bellingham, Washington. . . .
RootsJaehee Son © Copyright 2021 Jaehee Son |
 Drawing by the author. |
“I
don’t understand why we have to go, this place is boring and it
smells.”
“Seung Uk! Don’t talk like that! We haven’t seen your grandmother in years, and we promised to visit for Arbor Day”. . .
“Seung Uk! Don’t talk like that! We haven’t seen your grandmother in years, and we promised to visit for Arbor Day”. . .
|
D Short's Last Cruise Cody Short © Copyright 2021 by Cody Short |
Photo by the author. |
A forty-five-foot
Mainship trawler was launched in St Petersburg, FL in 1985, the same
year that I became Cody Short, D Short and I finished the year by
getting married and having a New Year’s Eve Party.
I always called Dennis Short “D Short” because that is how he introduced himself on the phone during our initial contact. We met through a dating service before computers were household equipment. . . .
I always called Dennis Short “D Short” because that is how he introduced himself on the phone during our initial contact. We met through a dating service before computers were household equipment. . . .
Chicago RevisitedSusan Taylor © Copyright 2021 by Susan Taylor |
 Photo by Christian DeKnock on Unsplash |
What
a great place! My husband and I recently were in “The Windy
City,” (more about that later). It was early October,
unusually warm; in fact, temperatures were in the high 70’s,
with a smattering of rain. After a punctual and comfortable flight
on Southwest Airlines, we disembarked at O’Hare Airport, pulled
our suitcases through a corridor, and shed the layers of clothes we
had put on that morning in our hometown, San Diego, California. . . .
SeptemberLaura Elizabeth Horgan © Copyright 2021 by Laura Elizabeth Horgan |
 Photo by Rhys Fradley on Unsplash |
I’m breaking and I don’t know how to show you the cracks.
I’m not sure if we can be pieced together this time, but I’m trying. I keep my mouth shut and hold it all back. The dam won’t break even when its full. Even though this time, it feels empty. . . .
I Gave Oxygen To My WanderlustTWP Tilden © Copyright 2021 by TWP Tilden |
|
During
my very first
sojourn to Los Angeles, all those years back, my nights were spent at
no less a haunt than the Cecil Hotel. Back then, in the early aughts,
memes didn't really exist, conspiracy buffs weren't mainstream, and
“Cecil Hotel” meant absolutely nothing to me. But enter
its name in any search engine nowadays and one can easily click
himself deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole of know-it-all YouTube
plagiarists, replete with slick video-editing and tiresome voice-over
narration. . . .
The Other ManPamella Laird © Copyright 2021 by Pamella Laird |
 Photo by Alexander Nachev on Unsplash |
He
pulled the heavy,
studded door behind him. Inside, a dull thud that mimicked his
dejection echoed from pillar to pillar. Then silence. A silence that
moved mist-like into the furthest corners and hung above him…
waiting.
Ken
hesitated, a
stranger to an atmosphere that despite his misgivings said,
‘Welcome.’ The walls seemed to hold a serenity in their
arms as if it were a national treasure, a gift to all who shuffled
namelessly into its haven. Cautious, alone, haunted by the loss that
had shattered his life Ken released his withheld breath. The world
had moved on, leaving him in an airlock of thinking that skulked in
his brain like a malevolent fungus. . . .
|
A Needed Job
|
|
A
few of my friends and family said, “Your time in the insurance
industry will be short and very boring.” Almost everyone asked
me if they had requested a list of prospects from me, you know, a
list of friends, relatives and the like. They had, but I didn’t
give anyone the satisfaction of an answer. This was a new job,
and my new employer had arranged school to prepare me to get my
license, even before I started work. . . .
Lingering MemoriesKelly Maida © Copyright 2021 by Kelly Maida |
 Photo by Peter Herrmann on Unsplash |
We
never can pick or choose the memories that linger in our mind. If
only it were that easy. Memories are like songs playing on repeat
sometimes. But unfortunately we can’t pick and choose the songs
on our memories playlist. I only have one memory of my uncle Mark. I
was three years old and I remember him playing the Eagles song called
life in the fast lane. I remember I couldn’t say fast lane. I
kept saying play gasoline, play gasoline. . . .
********************************