2020’s personal development on friendships lost and the discovery of self.  It’s a sad truth that those we start a race with don’t always finish the race with us. As individuals, we seek companionship, we want to share in our experiences and have someone we can depend on. Real friends aren’t easy to come by, ...

A rain came, sudden and hard. Fortune lent them favor as Ilenia and Helaia made it to the forest before the deluge was made all the fiercer by billowing winds. The leaves of the trees here were broader than the usual fare, which gave them some measure of shelter. They huddled together against a thick ...

I’ve always had an issue with comparing myself to other people. I think it comes from the fact that I always wanted to either be at the same level as my siblings or better than them. I wanted to be talented like them. One would think that two decades later I would realize that people ...

Part One A knock at the door permeated her dreams. At first, she ignored it, assuming one of the children were playing games or perhaps someone was mistaken. “Ilenia?” questioned a familiar voice. Helaia. Groaning and stretching, Ilenia covered her mouth to stymie a yawn. “What is it?” “Can we talk?” “Is it so important ...

I will be the first to tell you that suffering from anxiety is far from fun. Every moment of every day, my brain works against me. I wonder if I have said something to offend someone if I was too awkward in a given situation. These are the things that bother me regularly. Sure, there ...

I woke up to a faint tapping sound. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes thinking it was just an early morning meteor shower outside my bedroom window, but the sky was still dark purple like the stone that filled the inside of the silver crescent moon necklace around my neck. “I need your help,” ...

Recently, a fellow co-writer wrote an article about a so-called friend that completely judged her and said some very cruel things. She left the girl’s name out of her article but included the mean-spirited message she had received. It stirred something in me. This co-writer is an unbelievably kind, giving, and talented writer and editor, ...

It’s still summertime, but you’re feeling ready for Halloween—or at least you’re looking forward to the arrival of autumn. Fall brings crisp, cooler weather and a vibrant array of colors. It’s a symbol of transformation and a time to reflect. Halloween is a time to let your creative juices flow and to enjoy getting outdoors ...

When I woke up, my body felt like it was soaked in a bucket of sweat. I peeled back the blankets that stuck to me like a second skin. My clothes felt like they were made of lead. I dragged myself to the bathroom to splash cold water on my face to wake me up, ...