Out of 269 Stories, These Are My Favourite 3

About women and speaking to women, but oh so instructive for men too.

I read 10 times more stories than I wrote. 269 read, 27 written.

… since the end of August when I joined the Medium partner programme.

There is nothing I enjoy more than a good story.

And since you are on this platform, chances are you share my affinity for tales that resonate. So get cozy, grab a cup of your liquid of choice, and relish the words that unfold in the three stories below.

I am using the term “story” rather than “article” for a reason.

When I refer to a “story,” I’m emphasising a narrative centered around a personal experience. In this context, the storyteller weaves lessons and morals into the fabric of their account. An “article”, as I use the term, leans towards a more didactic approach. It tends to teach by offering examples derived from personal experiences as illustrations.

The “story” relies on a holistic and immersive experience while the “article” breaks down experiences into examples to convey specific teachings.

The better the writer the subtler the difference.

The former approach appeals to my heart and mind equally while the latter utilises my emotions to enhance cognitive engagement.

No value judgment intended; it’s simply a matter of personal preference for the former.

So, the trio of stories I’m presenting here tugged at my heartstrings as much as it appealed to my intellect, creating an intimate connection with the authors. After reading them, I found myself hungry for more.

My top 3 of 2023, in chronological order:

1. Great Thunberg Doesn’t Have to Be Nice About Your Dick

What a headline this one exhibits! A plant-based activist for the planet, living in Sweden me, could not overlook it.

The story is about a power and gender debate that raged on social media after Greta’s “email me at [email protected]” response to Andrew Tate’s online harassment. Jude Ellison S. Doyle, the author, explores the concept of the small-dick-energy, the unbridled online misogyny, and the sense of male entitlement, giving his take on them unapologetically. He picks a side with conviction and humility regardless of how polarising it may be:

“When men fuck up, or act out, or hurt people, we look for their reasons; we assume compassion and empathy are necessary and useful responses. Yet, even when a woman is under violent threat, she is expected to mind her tone and phrase her objections in a way that doesn’t bruise the feelings of any man who might overhear her.”

Or how uncomfortable, even when we believe we are feminists:

“…in a sexist culture, we all internalize a certain amount of misogyny as part of our upbringing.”

2. I Fell in Love All Over Again When I Finally Allowed Myself to Be Vulnerable

A beautiful love story that I would have loved to live when my marriage hit rock bottom.

When words lose their meaning and become inaudible, and we shut the world out, especially the one closest to us, to protect our pain, only the highly emotionally intelligent can bring us back.

Delilah Rose’s husband Jon selflessly led the way out of the dead end to falling in love again through the activity they both loved.

“I wanted to do what he was doing, right there with him. I wanted him — the person I had failed to see but was suddenly missing more than words can describe.

Putting his entire ego aside to try to reach me, he finally broke down my walls. I, in turn, let myself be vulnerable with him, as he was being with me.”

3. What It’s Like Witnessing Life Coming into Being

I gave birth twice but I never witnessed a birth-giving. Aima’s story showed me how a very different experience that was.

Her narration is so vivid that I felt as if I myself were in that delivery room facing a woman in labour.

The pain, the commotion, the crying, the intensity of a life beginning, the scene playing in front of my eyes kept me on the edge of my seat.

“The other doctor was just a moment busy on the other side of the room when suddenly the woman’s water broke.

It was everywhere.

“Blood, mucous, dilation, 1, 3, 6 to 10 centimeters…” were all the voices we heard.

Before we could even understand what was happening, the baby’s head popped out.”

She ends the story with a powerful message, leaving the impression that she has chosen the right path for herself serving her fellow humans.

The full list of “Other Writers’ Stories I Love” contains 13 tales and not all are from 2023. All 13 are authentic, heartfelt and personal, and deliver a message that either teaches or inspires me to be a better creator and a better human.

Thank you Jude Ellison S. Doyle Delilah Rose Aima Séphora Bemba Nanie Hurley 🌿 Krista Rausin Aleax jennydwyer Tim Denning Paula Romeu Linda Caroll and Michael Thompson.

I’ll keep curating as I read, so drop by any time.

What is your favourite story of 2023?

Leave the link in the comment, I would love to read it and learn a tiny bit about you through it.