READING TIPS

Stories You Shouldn’t Miss — Volume X

December edition of my favorite reads

Another year has come to an end and with it my best month on this platform yet. But as you may know, I am not here to talk about myself, I am here to highlight the great work of other writers. Writers who have outdone themselves with touching narratives, outstanding photographs or simply authentic essays.

I create these lists of my personal favorite reads monthly to share great work with my readership and send shout-outs to fellow writers I follow and appreciate.

But let’s get to the point and stop talking. Reading time begins now.

Why wait with the best until the end when most readers on Medium don’t make it past halfway of an article? Here is my favorite writer and winner of December. Three of her articles made it into my ‘favorite reads’ list.

It was heartbreaking for me to read the story of a bushfire that destroyed not only this writer’s farm but so many more homes surrounding it and knowing the fire department didn’t react to the first help calls didn’t make it better.

But this person doesn’t write the article to receive pity from anyone. She’s too strong for that. She is even more positive than I am and sees a lesson to be learned in everyone and everything.

One of those lessons was about trying to change the environment or trying to fit into the place one lives in. She pulled so much out of what would have destroyed most other humans and kept the spirits high throughout the process.

The latest post then talks about the reality. Your reality. Or mine. Or hers. What we choose to see is the question. And that is a good question as it changes a lot.

“The situation gave me the opportunity to learn more about myself and how to support others (like George) when I was pushed to the limits, too. It also blessed me with the lucky chance to practice patience, resilience, and gratitude even more. It is easy to be happy when everything goes well. But it is an art of living to be able to smile, stay calm and kind, and have a heart filled with hope and faith while facing the worst nightmare.” — Janin Lyndovsky

And while we are on the topic of positivity which unquestionably leads to happiness, I have another story to share.

A coconut is such a holiday fruit, isn’t it? When I read about coconut I have to think immediately of sipping cocktails out of coconut shells in Thailand and eating the fresh fruit on the beach in Ghana.

But my fellow co-editor has a lot more to say about the coconut and shares many lovely memories of this special fruit. This story made me smile throughout.

“Living on a farm, we had plenty of hammers around and no pesky rules about safety. We were left to use our own intellect to keep ourselves safe, and hey, not managing to kill ourselves was akin to full victory.” — JoAnn Ryan

And before I land on my favorite reading and writing topic of travel, I’d like to highlight a controversial article on what is currently happening in the world, specifically in Europe.

She talks about morals, tolerance, and adjusting to a new culture or not. And what it means or should be like when migrating. Unfortunately, tolerance is not always reciprocal.

“No country is that rich that it can continue to afford to pay for an enormous influx of people. It is also unfair to those citizens who are native to that country, and whose tax money now goes to people who not only don’t share the western secular culture, and who insist on their religious dogma being implemented, but the country must pay for accommodation and living expenses.” — Tessa Schlesinger

And while we are on the controversial side of things, let's dive into a slum in Africa. The largest slum in Africa. And why this writer felt safer in this poor side of the city than in its wealthier parts.

“A hive of humanity living in dense layers of utterly irregular, unregulated, improvised dwellings, connected by a maze of tight, muddy alleyways. The main roads are thronged with people and hand-pulled carts and lined with shops and services of all kinds, most in closet-sized corrugated kiosks.” — Bill Crandall

We will stay for a few articles on the African continent as it seems they have taken my heart this past month. The next story wasn’t published in December but I only stumbled upon it this month.

This writer made it with two stories on my list. The first one is about a very blue city in Marocco, a unique adventure, and stunning photography and was turned into an interesting essay.

But the one that stood out to me was a very touching story of the struggle to climb the highest mountain on the continent while suffering. Of something nobody could pinpoint until the end.

“The hardest part was the mental punishment. I tried to remain positive but at this point, it was almost impossible. I felt like I was at the end of my journey and I knew that our guides were deciding whether I would have to go down the mountain. But still, I kept moving.” — Darren Weir

While I am not allowed to pick a submission of one of my fellow editors as my favorite read in the monthly challenge, I can very much do what I like in this series and this is why I decided to pick up her story.

She’s a brilliant story writer, fascinating person and traveler I’d love to meet one day in person but until that is happening, I read every single word she shares with the Medium community.

Talking about a tree which is a lot more than just that, a tree, and sharing so many touching encounters and stories with spectacular photographs made my heart smile.

“There was a palpable spirituality in the Baobab Forest. The immensity of the giants, the sheer length of their lives, the calmness that they exuded. It’s impossible to describe it, but it was there. The earth was beating its steady heartbeat beneath our feet. We could somehow feel it in this peaceful place.” — Jillian Amatt - Artistic Voyages

One last story written about or in Africa is a photo documentary of a very unique safari experience. A lion on a hunt. If you want to be on the edge of your seat, listen up now. I won’t spoil the story but read it yourself.

“The stalking cat stayed low, her body elongated and camouflaged below the tops of the grass. When the Oryx had its head down the lion would take three or four quick steps forward then drop. Smooth and precise.” — Warren Thurlow

And while we are on the topic of photography, I would like to transport you from Africa’s heat to the cold of the Arctic. Our next writer shares incredibly fascinating photographs of icebergs and all the life up North.

“The more I picked out specific shapes the more an idea formed in my head. At that moment I decided to shoot to create Arctic Abstracts during my time in Svalbard. At first, it was just the mountains, at that point, I had no idea what I’d be seeing during the next 10 days on board a ship.” — Lauri Novak

Another writer had a very different experience while traveling on a bus From Armenia to Turkey, in 2001. Times were not just different back then but travel too.

This story begins rather dull but soon has you captured once the writer gets into interaction with the locals. The end comes unexpectedly but is a beautiful combination of kindness and trust.

“The goodbye exchange seemed to work until the mother gave the toddler over to her husband, and the daughter began to wail and force her way back into her mother’s arms. Then the mother began tearing up herself. She kept consoling her daughter, but nothing could calm her daughter down or keep her tears from flowing. Finally, the father had to rip his daughter from his wife’s arms as the bus conductor came out to tell everyone the bus was leaving.” — Oksana Kukurudza's Sunflowers Rarely Break

Last but not least I have a story to share which happened to be written in my parents’ home country, Romania. Being the witness of a political change in a foreign country can be something scary but touching as well.

The writer takes us into the heart of the city of Cluj between the front of the police and the crowd, the country’s population.

“It was a portrait of defiance, a collective stand against a political system that had long ignored their voices. The grievances were many, but the core was singular — a call for transparent, fair elections, a fundamental pillar of any true democracy.” — Wren Shealy (she/her)

Those were my favorite reads of December and if you read them all, I send a big thank you and virtual hug across the globe.

And in case you missed last month’s selection, here is the link:

Join my email list here if you would like to read more travel essays.

Shutterstock | Instagram | YouTube | Mailchimp | Amazon | Redbubble