What Happened to Me at the Intersection Called Serendipity

These are the times in which the stars are in sync and the planets align.
We could crash into each other like snowflakes gently falling to Earth on a winter’s day.
That disorganized, unexpected, beautiful chaos.
Where we meet at the intersection of fate and destiny.

Serendipity I think it’s called.

Peter M. Olsen

After graduating from Washington State University with a B.A. in Humanities, Peter M. Olsen found his true passion and became a blogger. He is also a mental health advocate dedicated to helping people with mental illness. In his free time, Peter is in search for the greatest taco trucks in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. ​Peter is a raver and PLUR warrior, video game junkie, coffee snob, and an all-around pretty cool guy. Trance and house music keeps Peter a very happy guy. Peter lives in the greatest city on Planet Earth, the Emerald City...Seattle, Washington.

The Death Divorce

“Was your childhood so bad?” I placed the last of the groceries on the top shelf in the fridge, closed the door, and waited for my teenage son to respond. “My childhood? No, my childhood was awesome. It was when you asked dad for the divorce: the DEATH DIVORCE that you Read more

Renee DeMont

Renee DeMont is a SURVIVOR. She was born into poverty; spent much of her childhood homeless, living on the streets of Los Angeles, and in foster care. Renee learned early on: life is about adapting to adversity. The greatest gift she ever received? No one expected anything from her. By 18, she was ready to experience life on her own terms. First one in her family to attend college. After college, her focus and determination earned her a spot working at Paramount Studios, on the #1 show in television, "Cheers". At 29, Renee gave entrepreneurship a go and began a Biomedical engineering business out of her garage. Twenty years later, that risky venture grew into 8,000 square feet of success. She broke the cycle of poverty that plagued her family for generations. Recently, Renee turned fifty, filed for divorce (he declared WAR), and trudged through a debilitating nervous breakdown. Through therapy and writing, she reclaimed her sanity. Sold her half of the business to the ex, and now she has clarity and choices. Renee is personally and financially independent. With her new found freedom, she chooses to write in a sincere effort to reconcile her past with her present. Hopefully, through this cathartic process, the second half of her life will be led by her soul's desire, rather than by the fears and doubts of her first half. Currently, she lives in South Orange County with her teenage son and daughter, and her high maintenance yet lovable dog, Joe. Soon to be an empty nester, she plans to downsize the big house in the OC bubble, for a bigger life in the real world. Her days are spent gently launching her almost grown children into adulthood, and passionately penning her memoir. In the mean time, you can find her essays on pain, positivity, and empowerment at: onedropofgrace.blogspot.com

An NFL Legend and Me, his 17-year-old “Girlfriend”

What I remember is fuzzy in outline, gossamer thin, yet vibrant in detail. Sleek emerald green, the car glides silently. My skinny legs stuck to the leather seats; the top is down. Eyes wide. We raced away from LaGuardia Airport to his training camp. It was summer hot, dazzling light, garish green grass clipped Read more

Julie Anderson

Julie Anderson is the Creator and Publisher of Feminine Collective. Julie was inspired to create this safe place for women to share their secrets, desires, triumphs and pain as the antithesis of what mainstream media offers women today. In her column Pursuit of Perfection, she explores the importance of rectifying the balance of inner and outer beauty through essays, poems and articles on self-esteem, shame, family, and self- acceptance.

Floored

Last weekend I had a lovely evening planned: dinner at my house with a friend, followed by a symphony concert. I prepared a simple and tasty dinner, but we didn’t have time for dessert until after we returned home. I wanted to introduce my new friend Norm to what I Read more

Susan P. Blevins

Susan P. Blevins was born in England, and escaped at age twenty on her life quest, moving first to Italy for 26 years, and then to the USA, where she now lives. The older she gets, the more passionately involved she becomes in the world, and the more she wants to make a personal contribution. She believes that we can all make a difference, one hug, and one smile at a time.

Control

I didn’t question his intentions, because why wonder about what can only be good? Who doesn’t want to be worshiped? He only wants to be with me! He loves me!

Alison Lee

Alison Lee is the co-editor of Multiples Illuminated: A Collection of Stories and Advice from Parents of Twins, Triplets and More, a writer, and publisher. A former PR and marketing professional, Alison’s writing has been featured in Mamalode, On Parenting at The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, Everyday Family, Scary Mommy, BonBon Break and Club Mid. She is one of 35 essayists in the anthology, My Other Ex: Women’s True Stories of Leaving and Losing Friends (Fall, 2014), and has an essay in another, So Glad They Told Me: Women Get Real About Motherhood (Summer, 2016). Alison lives in Malaysia with her husband and four children (two boys and boy/ girl twins).

Love Is Messy

Love is love is love is love. That’s all it is. Green or red, black or white, male or female. All your life you have been searching for love. For that special person that looks into your eyes and gets you, completely. Who you are, where you came from, all Read more

SA Smith

SA Smith has always loved the magical life. She is the bestselling Amazon author of FOREVER, her four part young adult paranormal romance series. She is an advocate for women of all shapes and sizes. Believing that we are all enough just as we are, and needing to spread that word far and wide. Having been diagnosed with CRPS over 12 years ago, SA also uses her writing to increase social awareness of the disease. Writing is her passion. She often tells friends that writing is a journey for her. It’s like spending time with friends. "I just follow my characters along on their adventures, like a fly on the wall, and see where they take me." SA currently lives in Florida with her best friend/husband and their one son.

Love Wins

John sits in the New York City office of the Human Rights Campaign, slightly hungover from the previous night’s festivities, but still basking in the satisfaction of a major victory. It has been a long fight, and John has the battle scars to prove it. He spent countless days lobbying Read more

Lauren Halsted

Lauren Halsted Burroughs teaches English at Cuyamaca Community College in San Diego, CA. She began her career in writing as an editorial assistant at Surfing Girl Magazine almost two decades ago, and has worked as a journalist, grant writer, online content writer, and has dabbled in research and academic publishing. She is happiest when spending time with her two young children, family, and friends and/or playing in the ocean.

The LA Story of a Kept Woman

Noun. 1. A woman who is given a home and money by a man who she has a sexual relationship with. 2. Lover. A significant other to whom you are not related by marriage. 3. Paramour. A woman who cohabits with an important man. Syn: Mistress. Courtesan. Writing this, I Read more

Dori Owen

Dori Owen is a storyteller, writing from small town Arizona, after living a few decades in California as an LA Wild Child, with a brief stop in Reno. She settled into grownup life as a project manager, collecting an MBA and a few husbands along the way. She is a shown artist and her favorite pastime is upcycling old furniture and decor she finds from thrift stores. She lives with the cat who came to visit but stayed. The love of her life is her grown son who lives in Portland, Oregon. Her essays and poems have been published in RAW&UNFILTERED VOL I, StigmaFighters Vol 2, and Love Notes From Humanity. Her blogs have been featured on The Lithium Chronicles, Open Thought Vortex, Sudden Denouement, and The Mighty.