True STories
Walk in someone else's shoes with personal narratives and true stories as told by our community.
WHY DID YOU HAVE TO LEAVE?
I picked a lovely flower for you today. I placed a red rose on your grave. I thought of memories of a life spent together.
LIFE IS WHAT YOU MAKE IT
How do you live a good life? People will have many different answers on how to live a good life. But life is really what
Depression is a Mind FuckMy family rejected and abandoned me because of my mental illnesses
I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to figure out my feelings. I checked the time. Ugh — 1:00 pm. I can’t decide
MEANING OF LIFE
You start out young. You end up old. Where did all the time go? You spend all your money. You waste all your time. Then
My First Time Trying Pozole
The pristine light of the summer sun smacked me across the face. The massive jackhammer in my head told me we had danced in the
YOU DECIDE WHERE YOU GO IN LIFE
You are the only one that can decide where you go in society or the world. It is left up to you to try and
Finally Got It Down or Jerry Stahl and his story Kicking the Horse
Oh, hello there, blank page! It is being typed with Times New Roman font.Why not: Themes Old Catholic, Days Old Gregorian, Best Somehow Baltic, Zuzhelitsa
SONGS ARE IMPORTANT
The world needs great songs that present messages for people to hear. People are searching for so many things in life. A songwriter can always
When The Puppet Strings Break – Chapter 2 – Evil Lives Here
Image by Alex Yomay from Pixabay Two Years Prior… The Sonoma Valley was known for many things – exquisite wines, trendy wine bars and hordes
August 14: Today In HistoryVICTORY DAY! JAPAN SURRENDERS!
On August 14, 1945, Japan’s official surrender to the Allies was announced and made public. Although Japan had already submitted a declaration of surrender to
August 18: Today In HistoryWOMEN CAN NOW VOTE!
On August 18, 1920, a battle in the Tennessee House of Representatives ended with only one more “yes” vote than “no” to ratify the 19th
Eternal Song
In the realm of the divine, where melodies reign, A song of eternity echoes through the rain, A tune so pure, so sweet, so full
Little Children Of Uvalde
Little ones No one expected your short lives to end by the gun You were daughters and sons Trying to play and learn Only for
EDUCATE YOURSELF
You don’t have to go to a fancy college to get a good education. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t go to college if you
Present and Promise: A Mostly True Story
I wasn’t expecting anything. Yet, there it was. The unmistakable drone of the … well … drone dropping a package on the front stoop. I
LITTLE THINGS IN LIFE COUNT
The little things in life always count. If you show a little kindness along the way, it will always be appreciated. It will count and
Under the same moon
It was July – Stranded stood at the beach, drinking a cocktail and checking her phone when she was not in the water. A message
Usually Have Bad Luck, but this Night I Knew I was Especially Lucky
I dodged rape. Photo by James Kovin on Unsplash If you follow me, you know that 80% of the time, I am here to try
I’m The Doormat Everyone Uses To Wipe The Shit Off Their Shoes: But I’m afraid of confrontation, so I let people walk all over me
I’ve been a doormat for 45 years. I let people walk all over me and hurt me. I’m terrified by and hate confrontation; it makes
The Days When The Light At The End Of The Tunnel Dims To A Mere Pinprick: Depression extinguishes the bright light of life
Depression is invisible. No one sees the darkness permeating, invading the deepest corners of my heart, mind and soul. No one sees the darkness poisoning
THE SILK UPON HER GRAVE
Now he unfolds silk upon her cold, cold grave. He is giving her the dresses that her young heart once craved. While she was living
A Love Song for the Hard of Hearing
Some frogs seem to be louder than others. This poem was inspired by some particularly deafening ones which dominate a memory decades later. *** In
Today, A Chinese Shuttle Will Tumble Back To Earth In An Uncontrolled Reentry: This will be their fourth uncontrolled reentry
On Saturday, November 5, 2022, a twenty-five-ton core stage of a Chinese Long March 5B rocket will return to earth in an uncontrolled re-entry. This
The First Day Of School Jitters
Yesterday, I got two video messages from a sweet little soul that I see as my niece. Her grandma and I met on a Christian
My Anti-Bucket List
1. Ice skating – I have actually been to an ice rink but I can’t say that what I did there was “ice-skating”. From what
Two Paths Crossing
The story of a broken heart healed and a tiny life saved Photo by Victor Grabarczyk on Unsplash In the beginning, I did not like
The Tornado That Never Came
I was in 2nd grade at (what felt like a big school) Lincoln Primary School. It was a beautiful sunny day in Leland, North Carolina.
One Of My Biggest Fears Could Be Coming True: Thankfully I had the opportunity to tell my mother I loved her before her surgery
Last week my mother fell and broke her hip. My sister had time to drive five hours from Toronto and was the one who spoke
Story Choices: Quantum Storytelling
This entire story already exists, but you are only experiencing it one word at a time as you move forward through it. You could, if
August 24: Today In HistoryPLUTO IS NO LONGER A PLANET!
On August 24, 2006, Pluto was downgraded to one of the dozens of known dwarf planets from having been the ninth planet from the sun
Lament for a Troubled Land
Too many lands are troubled these days. Some are distant, some closer to home and some forever in the heart. I don’t know if I
TIMES CHANGE
You get up one morning. Then you realize, times have changed. Suddenly, you realize things are different, and the times have really changed. What happened?
August 23: Today In HistoryPETE ROSE GETS BANNED FROM BASEBALL!
On August 23, 1989, Pete Rose, the Cincinnati Reds manager, received a settlement including a lifetime ban from baseball as a consequence of betting on
Facing Lightning
Holding the stop/slow sign with little power on an unknown road, 20-year old Jim felt tired but relieved his construction shift was almost over. It
The First Time I Flew Alone Was To Visit My Grandparents in Florida During Christmas Break When I Was Twelve, And It Sucked: The flight there was the only part of the trip I enjoyed
My grandparents rented an apartment in Miami Beach every winter, as did many of my peers’ grandparents. Whenever possible, my mother, sister, and I would
Snow Day!
The guests arrived after 10 pm. 10:19, to be exact. I must have dozed off while waiting for their arrival, but the doorbell in this
LIVING THE GOOD LIFE
You can live a good life by being free to choose what and who you become in life. If you can choose your job or
August 13: Today In HistoryTHE CITY OF BERLIN SEPARATES INTO EAST AND WEST!
On August 13, 1961, shortly after midnight, the Wall between East and West Berlin began to be built. The military used barbed wire to make
I Feared for My Safety When He Slammed the Door Grille
If you’ve been following my work, you’d know that I rarely talk about personal experiences. However, something so bizarre happened yesterday that I just have
Rent Day
Today is the great day that tenants dread. You rather keep your hard-earned money instead. Not enough days to enjoy the pay we got in
RAT RACE BLUES
We’re all running here and there. People are just trying to get ahead in life. You can’t blame people for wanting to move forward with
The Day My Dad Served Cut-Up Pig Stew For Dinner
I remember this food experience like it happened yesterday. Photo by Becca Tapert on Unsplash After a blustery morning of playing in the snow and
I Can Hear You Call Me ‘Momma’
An ode to my unborn child Photo by João Paulo de Souza Oliveira from Pexels For the longest time,I dreamt of your red hair and
August 16: Today In History:YUKON GOLD DISCOVERY!
On August 16, 1896, while camping near Rabbit Creek in the Canadian territory of Yukon, George Carmack reportedly found a nugget of gold sticking out
He
He grew up thinking that it was all fun. Thought he’ll have everything that he’ll ever need and was so trustworthy that sometimes he thought
TIME ROLLS ON
Each person has their day in the sun, so to speak. But time keeps rolling on. You can’t stop time, no matter what you do.
WORLD WITHOUT MUSIC
I can’t imagine a world without music. It would be a sad world without any songs or music in it. Music is the rhythm to
Learning: Lost in the Dark
I rest my head against the window, peering into the night at the passing Indiana farmland. The soft patter of rain and methodical swish of
YOU LOVED THE BLUE OUT OF ME
I was down, and I was blue. I didn’t know what I was gonna do. Then the light came shining through, when I found you.
INFORMATION SOCIETY
We all live in the information society. We are presented with so much information every day that we try to consume. All of us have
It Was Easier to Forget My Lost Child Than to Accept I’d Never Know the Joy of Creating a Life: A repressed memory resurfaces
Not long ago, I read a story written by a writer I admire and follow, Arpad Nagy. It was a touching and bittersweet piece about the
WHEN YOU WALK BY
When you walk by, you’ve got the look of love in your eyes. I’ve got a clear blue sky. I love you girl. You’re my
August 19: Today In HistoryUS CIA SPY PILOT SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS IN RUSSIAN PRISON!
On August 19, 1960, U.S. CIA U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers was condemned to ten years in prison in the USSR, having confessed to espionage.
ADHD And How It Affects My Writing:The difference between when my medication works and when it wears off
Being a writer with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be extremely difficult; focusing on making sure my article is written as a coherent and smooth read
BLACKBIRD
An old man was down on his luck. So, he rolled the dice for one more buck. He was just trying to find someone to
To Fart, or Not to Fart?
The turmoil of deciding to keep the butt cheeks clinched or let it rip when trapped on a plane. Photo by Samantha Gades on Unsplash
EDUCATION FOR LIFE
Education is a lifelong process. You can learn something every day, if you try. You can learn something from people, books, magazines, internet, movies and
NATURE
You go out in nature to spend your day. You want the sun to shine your way. You look at the beautiful trees and birds
REDBIRD AT MY WINDOW
There is a redbird at my window, looking in at me. Saying son, you’re not the child. You’re not the child you used to be.
Instagram Is Home Of The Celebrity ImpersonatorThe celebrity you think messaged you is really a scammer
Instagram is home to celebrity impersonators; I’ve gotten messages from several celebrities I follow. They all follow a script, literally. All the initial messages have
I’m Never Going to Forget the Dead Man in the Freezer
Or the request his family had that I did my best to honor. Image by Pexels from Pixabay Please note, I have omitted or altered
TALKING TO THE WALLS
Tonight, I am so lonely, downhearted as can be, with four walls and the ceiling that can’t talk back to me. But I pour my
Steam Dreams
This poem relates to a time when my children were young. Whenever they were unwell they would like to lie on the sofa covered in
TRY A LITTLE KINDNESS
When you go out and play, try a little kindness along the way. When you’re feeling blue, remember a little kindness will always pull you
Sunshowers
I’ve never forgotten the day I saw it rain on a beautiful day, with the sun out. I think I was six or seven when
The Contact Lens Battle
Contacts will be the coolest thing to have, or so I thought. The actual experience was something I never expected or was taught. I’m in
TIME
Where was I when you passed by? I never seem to recall. Did I smile? I was only a child. You were time, and I
Hardwired.
I am hardwired to self destruct I am hardwired to self believe I am hardwired to self sabotage I am hardwired to self help We
Speaking Truth to Power
I’ve written a lot of reviews and critiques. Books. Movies. Employee evaluations. Employer evaluations. Submissions to a writers’ group I was in. Long ago I
A Kimo For My Young Mother
This poem is a Kimo — the “haiku of Israel.” Running through the woods–family dog ahead.Laughing, my hand reaches yours.Mother–you are still young. There was
ARE YOUR DREAMS REAL?
Every man or woman has dream within themselves, to reach a goal in life, while there is still time left. They want to find an
I WISH THINGS WERE LIKE THEY USED TO BE
Oh, I’d love to see Grandma Pearl and Grandma Emma again. I’d love to hear Uncle Curtis play the banjo down in Nebo Bend. I’d
The Last Christmas Card
An ode to my Dad who left a surprise in my mailbox after his funeral Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash I remember when I
Did I Play in the First Roleplaying Game EVER?
Despite the fact that I have attended GenCon for more years than you have probably been alive and that I was the world’s top-ranked player of
Love Remains
So many of us know the pain of losing a loved one. I write in empathy with you. Whilst everyone’s hurt is different, that we
I WON’T HAVE TO HURRY
One of these days if I make it to heaven, when my life on this earth is over, I’m gonna sit down and visit with
Space Has Taken on a Whole New Meaning as a Full-Time RVer
I am the happiest I have ever been and it’s due to living tiny. Photo by cottonbro from Pexels For decades, I tried to figure
August 22: Today In HistoryINTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS FOUNDED!
On August 22, 1864, what would later become the “International Committee of the Red Cross,” “The Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick
When Life Shits on You, You Learn Who Your Real Friends Are Don’t Feel Bad; it’s Not Only Your Fault
Most people I’ve met, especially online, are socially acceptably superficial or straight-out liars. If I had a nickel for every time a “friend” told me
Bougainvillea Snow
A Prose Poem about a Teenage Crush My heart soars like a kite on a windy day, As a silent hello escapes from your mouth.
If Someone Claims They Attempted To Commit Suicide, Never Accuse Them Of Lying Unless You Have Proof
Don’t be an asshole, keep your insults to yourself, and at least pretend to be a kind human being
THE OLD HOME PLACE
As I travel down Nebo Road, I go back to where the old home place used to be. It was located at the end of
Culture Shock
Culture shock sometimes feels likestaying home—hibernatingthrough the winter of my inadequatelanguage skills, hoping that one daythe onslaught of not belongingis replaced with a longingto unravel
When The Puppet Strings Break – Chapter 10 – False Hope
Image by Stephen Keller from Pixabay The drive home was unsettling. Willow distracted herself with hopes of better days as she pulled up to a
I Admit I’m A Vindictive Bitch: I’m not the meek, pitiful, mentally ill “crazy” individual you believe me to be
Let’s admit the truth — I’m a bitch. And I know it. I’m not always a vindictive bitch; in fact, I’m usually one of the
When the Puppet Strings Break – Chapter 9 – Perpetual Motion
Image by Stephen Keller from Pixabay Willow’s reality to live a peaceful existence was slowly fading. She began to realize that Mitch and his group
Breeding… The Vicar’s Way
A humorous story, passing down the generations in my family. The moonlight blue saloon drew up in the drive at 4pm one sunny Saturday by
Time to say goodbye.
Time to say goodbye – Poem by Ellysa Greenhalgh. He stands up against the bar, his glass of scotch & ice lifted to his lips
Dear Brain, WTF is Wrong with You Now?
The crazy dreams are back. I thought we settled this! Photo by Vladislav Muslakov on Unsplash Hey there brain, Let’s just cut to the chase.
SOCIOLOGY OF LEARNING
We will always be able to learn something new. Learning goes on through your entire life. It is a daily process where you gather and
GONE WITH THE WIND
We all start our lives with so much time. We spend it daily, until we get to the end of the line. Some of us
WALK A MILE
We never know what the world will hold. We never know how things will go. We don’t know what is coming around the bend. You
The Icelandic “Delicacy”: Hákarl
It is — by far — the worst thing I have ever tasted in my life. This Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons image is from the
The Land of Clouds
It is a time of endless possibilities, A time of new beginnings and a new hope. Youthful exuberance lies abundance, You and I, together with
August 10: Today In History“SON OF SAM” ARRESTED!
On August 10, 1977, “Son of Sam” David Berkowitz was arrested. In a year, the 24-year-old postal employee killed six young people and wounded seven
Did Robert Johnson Make a Deal With the Devil?
Did Robert Johnson sell his soul to the Devil in order to become the best blues guitarist there ever was? I have my doubts, but
No Comment
I just read your powerful words Once again, it made your writer’s voice heard So many great sentences, that it’s hard to highlight Your ability
DO YOU STILL LOVE ME LIKE YOU USED TO?
We said it was over. Then we said goodbye. But as you were leaving, I saw a tear in your eyes. Is it really over?
THE GOOD ROAD OR THE BAD ROAD
Each person has two roads in life to choose from, the good or the bad. It is left up to each person which road to
THINKING ABOUT YOU
When you first left me, I thought we were really through. But darling, I didn’t know I’d cry a river over you. There is not