Life lessons My Purpose of Writing My intention in sharing my experiences is not to self-promote, increase my follower count, or make it...

( continued from part 8 ) Epilogue The next few months, many things happened that changed our family and, of course, my own life -...

( continued from part 7 ) Gossip from a distance When both my mother and sister realized that I was in the room, they didn't display any...

( continued from part 6 ) Unlike how others would see me, I wouldn't consider myself an introvert, ' preferring to concentrate on inner...

(continued from part 5) On the way back home This ride turned out to be one of the shortest yet most significant of my life! After making a sharp left, the road took us straight between my own home and my father's parking spot. Just before the same bus station where we parted ways months ago, I made a right turn. Soon after, she indicated for me to stop in front of those high-rise buildings where her home was somewhere. I turned off the motorbike, and she got off. As she stoo

(continued from part 4) What a surprise! After months of longing to see her once more, heartbeat was understandably running too fast, I had to control my breath. I turned off my motorbike, removed my helmet, and placed it, as always, on the right mirror. As I swung my left leg over the bike, I felt my knees trembled, but I refused to let it be visible. This one small step from the bike to her felt like a massive leap into a different world. I felt butterflies in my stomach; e

(continued from part 3) Dealing with problems As a human being, I had to cope with all my problems, find a way to handle them, and live my life without parental guidance. In school, I did okay, but I lacked the confidence to interact with classmates and teachers. My grades noticeably declined when I became a teenager and somehow realized that a lot was going wrong in my life, even though I was unable to do anything about it. I was a follower, despite some classmates and teach

(continued from part 2) At home, alone As I reluctantly made my way home, everything appeared to be unchanged from the outside. However, my mind was racing, reflecting on the last 20 minutes and trying to comprehend them. How could a short encounter have such a profound effect on my youthful, difficult, and apparently directionless life? How could my little world be turned upside down on this ordinary evening on a bus? How did you know That I've been waiting? Never knew the w

(continued from) Two Strangers On a bus On one cold evening after a day at work, I waited for the bus to take me back home. The daylight was already diminishing after four o'clock, and as night approached, it felt even colder. I was glad that I did not have to ride my motorcycle and could take some shelter on the bus. I entered through the front door and passed the driver, showing my monthly pass or ticket, and proceeded to the back of the bus. There, the seats were configure

Reflecting on my childhood and youth still evokes a sense of melancholy, 'characterized by a deep sadness intertwined with thoughtful reflections and a gentle, tender sorrow'. The sadness comes from having grown up in a broken, chaotic, and often very violent family living in social housing, coupled with the sorrow of contemplating how much easier and happier my life would have been and what I could have achieved or could have become of me in a slightly more supportive enviro