#personal-narrative

#personal-narrative

His near-death experience followed a severe fall from a ladder: fractured ribs, internal bleeding, loss of consciousness before the ambulance arrived. "They told me afterwards it was close," he says, rubbing his palms together as though checking for dust that isn't there. "Very close." I ask him what he considers the most significant insight from the experience. He looks at his calloused hands for only a heartbeat before answering: "The essence of all is encounter and connection," he says. "Love means recognizing that the other should be exactly who they are-and wishing them well, genuinely and honestly."

Many of us take up running for bragging rights. Yes, it improves cardiovascular fitness and yes, it can help people reach health goals and lose weight, and contribute to better mental health and all of that good stuff. But it also allows you to be a little smug. Bonus smug points if you are fond of a run in the mornings.

Jay Electronica's exceptional skill as a rapper has afforded him a level of favor that no one else in the hip-hop sphere-with the exception of André 3000-would have received within the same span of time. Between 2007 and 2020, he generally remained in the public's good graces off the strength of one innovative introductory mixtape, impressive guest verses, and a handful of monumental loosies that featured existential musings, astronomical wonder, and clips from cult cinema.

Ojos del Salado rises more than twenty-two thousand feet above sea level, on Chile's northeastern border. It is the world's tallest volcano, towering over the world's highest desert: an ash-and-scree-covered behemoth that exceeds Elbrus, Kilimanjaro, and Denali in size, if not renown. Its name means "sources of the salty river," or, possibly, "eyes of salt," which is what the brackish lagoons on its lower reaches resemble when your brain is starved of oxygen.

I had been writing about wedding dresses for years when I bought my own. Because of my work, I thought I was prepared for shopping for my dream gown. A few aspects of my appointment surprised me, though, like the role of my consultant. When I bought my wedding dress, it felt like the culmination of years of anticipation, as I had spent a lot of time writing about other people's gowns. I bought my gown at my first and only appointment, surrounded by a few close family members as I said yes to the dress. The bridal appointment was largely seamless, but there were a few aspects of the experience I wish I had known about before walking into the boutique.

Eva Neidlinger reflects on her great-grandfather's past as a Wehrmacht soldier in World War II, exploring the implications of his actions during the war.

Art gave Curry a language. It gave her joy. It gave her confidence. And it gave her a platform from which to launch into the wider world.

The journey from curtain call to home computer screen is familiar and comfortable for Arifa Akbar, yet it exists close to troubling thoughts and feelings.

When folks talk about cats having nine lives, I feel like I have 12. He's coming from the same train of thought that I've escaped.

When I lost my alarm clock, I didn't bother getting another until I had an early-morning flight to catch.

Griffiths's inquiry sparked widespread responses from women reflecting on relationships with professors, exposing the often unacknowledged power dynamics in such interactions.

"Second Skin unpacks the materials - latex, leather - objects that hold power dynamics within fetish culture, exploring their meanings and messaging in a contemporary context."

I didn't nurture any wedding fantasies in childhood-not the dress, not the party, not even the spouse-save for one... It was a fantasy of becoming a writer.

In Sacred Sleep, a brick-coloured table with legs reminiscent of Escher's never-ending staircases sets the stage for a subtly autobiographical still-life scene.

Pazcoguin rode the waves of extreme passion and unrelenting abuse in the ballet industry, revealing both the joys and dark realities of stagecraft.

"I can't believe it was already a decade ago. I've done a lot of dumb things in my life, but by far, the smartest one of them was running for mayor."

As my father watched the news, his breath caught. A video of the inside of a prison cell was on the television. Tears streamed down his face. On one of the walls he could make out a poem, one he had written with his own hands.

The person who tries to keep everyone happy often ends up feeling the loneliest.

Ramy Youssef creatively thrives as an actor, writer, comedian, director, and producer, with his unique observations about human nature resonating widely among audiences.

My struggle to sleep markedly worsened. Stress still seemed to be in limitless supply. My identity is wrapped up in my job as a science journalist.

As a child, I would ask: What is a refugee? I attended a school run by UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, and my documents always had to include proof that I was a refugee.

Being neurodivergent in a neurotypical society can create challenges, but narrative therapy can help individuals reinterpret their self-stories, revealing their strengths and addressing their difficulties.

Many belong to a specific anthropological group: born after the war, they got their first guitars on hire purchase and went on to date the aristocracy.

In her new book Red Pockets, Alice Mah chronicles her personal journey through eco-anxiety, exploring ancestral connections against the backdrop of climate change.

"On the map, I kept to the blue highways. At night, I slept in a tent. I thought of myself as an apprentice Kerouac."

I turned to see an air-conditioner that had tumbled from a window several stories up on the sidewalk just on the other side of my building's front door.

To be persuaded, we need to feel we are there. We need to hear from people who were or are still there.

"A burn layer puts a mark on a timeline. There is a before, and there is an after, and there is no mistaking the one for the other."

Growing up in my Ashkenazi household, gefilte fish was a peculiar food that puzzled me, far removed from its traditional meaning and experience.