Scars of Cancer
| This is the 155th story of Our Life Logs | I grew up in a very close-knit family in Kisumu, Kenya. We were like a big team because we knew we could always rely on each other. My parents were at the head of our team, making sure we were all happy and healthy–my father worked as a medical researcher, while my mother was content … Continue reading Scars of Cancer
Through the Melody
| This is the 154th story of Our Life Logs | I’ve been playing in metal bands since I was in high school. From the moment I heard the thunderous fast-paced chug of the melody, I was hooked. To some, it’s all just noise. But for those who listen beyond the clamor and see beyond the crowds, it’s more than a show. It’s a way … Continue reading Through the Melody
After the Breakdown
| This is the 153rd story of Our Life Logs | I grew up in the 1960s, spending most of my childhood in the rugged, industrial city of Dayton, located in western Ohio. Though the city was tinged with gang violence, I roamed the neighborhoods without fear; a free-spirited soul I was. After playing outside for hours, I always came home to a loving family, … Continue reading After the Breakdown
Escaping the Shadow of Death
| This is the 152nd story of Our Life Logs | At six years old, I was used to living under the shadow of death in my home. I grew up in a house with an abusive father who would turn to violence at the slightest inconvenience. Whatever anger he held inside, he released it on his wife and kids. So, I took any chance … Continue reading Escaping the Shadow of Death
The Golden Path
| This is the 151st story of Our Life Logs | My story began on a starry night in 1993 in Bucharest, Romania. Despite being the nation’s capital, the city was very poor. I saw beggars in the streets every day, and my own neighbors could barely manage to live from one day to another. I was more fortunate than many others, but still, my … Continue reading The Golden Path
A True Power
| This is the 150th story of Our Life Logs | It was the winter of 1991 when I was born in a beautifully peaceful town in Bulgaria, a country in Eastern Europe. As a child, it seemed like the world around me inspired the power of creativity flowing into my hungry, curious mind. Filled with the smell of fresh grass of the fields at … Continue reading A True Power
Removing the Mask
| This is the 149th story of Our Life Logs | When I was born, I was assigned male. I grew up in a conservative, Christian suburb of Chicago, Illinois in the 1970s. In those Triassic days before Xbox and YouTube, you had to make your own fun. My brother and I often played with a pair of girls who lived down the street, and … Continue reading Removing the Mask
My Time Will Come
| This is the 148th story of Our Life Logs | Nothing melts my heart like watching the little smile on a baby’s face. The clutched tiny hands, the feet kicking freely in the air—just the soft scent of a baby is captivating. It sets butterflies in my stomach with anticipation. Unfortunately, I am still waiting to raise a child of my own. I was … Continue reading My Time Will Come
Keeping the Path
| This is the 147th story of Our Life Logs | At this point, the band had been on the road for days. Our clothes were glued to our bodies with sweat and our muscles winced from nights in cheap motels. Touring was nothing like what I’d pictured. When we got to the venue for a show in Colorado, there were just a few people there—each … Continue reading Keeping the Path
To Open the Door
| This is the 146th story of Our Life Logs | Loud voices painted the walls of my family’s house in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. We shared laughter and home-cooked meals at our large wooden dinner table, its legs showing visible wear and tear from the many generations (and states, as I was born in Denver, Colorado in 1991) it had passed through. Our parents strongly supported our … Continue reading To Open the Door
No Longer Home
| This is the 145th story of Our Life Logs | Though I had grown up in a home filled with violence and threats, I still believed that people in general were more good than bad, and most governments were honest and progressive. I was very wrong. I wasn’t prepared for the mayhem that ensued when I tried to come home from the Middle East. I … Continue reading No Longer Home
Among the Stars
| This is the 144th story of Our Life Logs | At night I am always looking up towards the stars when I sit outside no matter where I am. It’s my habit by default and one that formed when I was a child. I dreamed of escaping into the stars and getting away from my small town. I wanted to grow up to be … Continue reading Among the Stars
