Against all odds — Vincent Valentino stood tall on the podium to address the vagrant, vicious, and verbose attackers gathered in the Valleywood town hall to propose a ban on the book, Vanity, written by a famous local writer, Victoria Valdez. Violent protests had led to this meeting being convened, interrupting the mayor’s more…

The metamorphosis from a Historian to a Poet — After spending 50+ years on the planet, I am just living for myself and enjoying every moment. I’ll like to call myself a student of life. Being born in an intellectually wealthy family in India’s most culturally diverse cities, Lucknow, gave me a clear perspective that knowledge leads to success…

Zero waste society — Nuclear wars had annihilated most of humanity except for a few pockets of marginalized communities leading the campaign to make the planet one hundred percent energy-efficient and pollution free. Not satisfied with the government solutions to combat climate change noted scientists resigned and ventured into privatized research projects to work…

Intentions were never honest In sickness and sadness. In riches and poverty. We will love each other. We will be together. In the presence of fear. In the absence of challenges. We will support each other. We will thrive together. In times of need. In the moments of abundance. We will be…

When the dreaded disease separated them — Life was busy for most in Lomé; life was hard and strict for some. Life was fun, full of free food and entertainment for the lucky ones. Life was hardest for those afflicted with an incurable disease as they were forcibly removed from their families to live in the L…

When the flood separated the lovers — A long time ago, there were two strangers from different worlds who had no reason to cross paths-how could they? Lyon Lenson was a scribe working in the lonely corners of the Pharoah’s palace, while Lilyana was the chief priestess of the Lhasa temple in the center of the Lava…

Not worth it — Away from the criteria of success. Far behind the pulsating trends. Absent from the accolades. Backstage and forgotten in the crowds. Who gets to decide the path to success? Who knows what failure looks like? Don’t pretend to care. Don’t dare to interpret. Some souls were not satisfied with the…

To survive and thrive — I had no chance of dignified survival. The world has places for us to live-nowhere. I had no access to fair opportunities. The world has answers for people like us-not eligible. I had no inclination to raise an objection. The world has an explanation for people like us-not required. I had no reason to crave a…

An angelic touch of healing — Jenny didn’t have the last name as someone had left her in the garbage bin outside the Jersey city general hospital’s ER. Jokes were exchanged regarding the parentage of a beautiful angel-maybe she was born out of wedlock, or was a child of a loveless marriage? Sister Josephine Jacobs named…