Random Life Stories and Unpredictable Moments

I recently found myself in the role of a bridesmaid at my friend Clara's wedding. Clara and I go way back to high school; although we don't see each other often, it was still special to be included in her big day. She had also invited a group of our mutual high school friends, many of whom I hadn’t seen since starting university.

Just before the bridal shower, I discovered I was pregnant. This was particularly poignant as I had suffered a miscarriage after announcing my previous pregnancy not long before. Understandably, my boyfriend and I were cautiously optimistic this time around, agreeing to keep it quiet until we felt more secure in the pregnancy's progress.

During Clara’s bridal shower, the maid of honor encouraged a drinking game. I steered clear from alcohol, opting for water, and excused myself from drinking using the excuse that I had an early morning the next day.

All was well until halfway through the party when our tipsy friend, Carla, offered me a shot. I politely declined, but she was persistent, even whimsically offering to wake me up in the morning. Despite my refusals, she jokingly questioned if I was pregnant, to which I hesitantly responded with a flustered no. Sadly, my reaction sold me out. Carla loudly outed my pregnancy, leading to an unplanned flurry of congratulations from everyone.

Though the spotlight unexpectedly turned on me for a moment, I was keen to deflect the attention back to Clara. It was her celebration, after all, not mine. I managed to brush off the congratulations, assuming the alcohol might help everyone forget by the next day.

I wasn’t really enjoying the party since I wasn’t partaking in the drinking, and decided to leave early. A couple of days after, Clara texted me, expressing her disappointment about me choosing her bridal shower to announce my pregnancy. I quickly explained that it was unintentional and that Carla was actually to blame for blurting it out. I apologized hoping she would understand the mix-up.

Imagine this scenario played out on a reality show. It would probably churn up quite the drama, with cameras zooming in on everyone’s reactions. Close-ups on Clara’s surprised face, the amusing confusion amongst guests, and the inevitable sideline interviews where each guest gives their exaggerated take on the situation. The episode would probably be marketed as a shocking reveal with all the ensuing misunderstandings and confrontations making prime time entertainment. It’s bizarre how real-life misunderstandings could be someone else's reality TV gold!

So, yeah. I'm 13, and love, romantic love is...weird. I think I'm ace, but I don't know, I do sometimes crave for love from any gender. Like, why should gender matter? But I feel weird. Like, nobody's dating where I live, very few do, but I don't know. I just feel scared of that kinda relationship. You know, things could go wrong, really WRONG. What if that person's cheating, a fraud, very toxically passive-aggressive and mean that way, or you just start arguing out of nowhere and break up. It's happened to real couples, they seem fine until they fall out of love and fight til they fall down from exhaustion. It'll just happen. I've seen so many people, teens, fall in love in flings, and Wham! They break up for many reasons, they were morons, they found another fling, their parents called it forbidden love, one or both become abusive, or just move away with family. It's an unnecessary risk, which is why at this age, I'm scared and disgusted and ashamed. Why fall in love, if this is the risk independent love causes? That's one of the many benefits arranged marriages carry, it's stable, predictable, normal, because someone decided you to be with someone. In stories, they fall in love genuinely, better than their own romance!

I never understood why I was against the idea of love where you're in charge, because there are all those risks I mentioned. For some reason, my idiotic heart wants to be in love when I think of me in a nice relationship, but when it thinks that way I say to myself, "WHAT THE!? WHY ARE YOU FEELING THIS?! YOU WANT THEM TO FIND YOU IN A MALL, A PARK, A CLASSROOM, A SUPERMARKET OR ANYWHERE ELSE WHERE YOU WANT THEM TO EVEN BE YOUR FRIEND!? THAT ONLY HAPPENS IN MOVIES YOU DUMMY! IT ONLY HAPPENS IN FICTION WHERE YOU EITHER BEAUTIFULLY OR AWKWARDLY MEET SOMEONE SOMEWHERE, BECAUSE IN REAL LIFE, YOU NEVER WILL! YOU READ DOLLY ALDERTON'S BOOK, SHE NEVER FOUND A RELATIONSHIP BECAUSE SHE TREATED THEM LIKE EARNING POKEMON CARDS, NOT REAL LOVE AND SHE REALIZED THIS LATE! STOP THINKING ABOUT BEING IN LOVE WITH SOMEONE, BECAUSE IN THIS WORLD, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND SOMEONE TO SNUGGLE, CUDDLE IN BED, SHARE FOOD, SHARE CLOTHES AND HAVE A NICE TIME WITH THAT YOU LIKE, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE! YOU HAVE THE FACE OF A GOBLIN, YOU HAVE INTERESTS IN THINGS NOBODY KNOWS, NOT EVEN THE ADULTS, YOU'RE SHORT, AND YOU CAN BE MEAN AS HELL WHEN YOU'RE ANGRY! WHY ARE YOU EVEN THINKING ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS, THIS YOUNG AND WHILE BEING THIS STUPID!? GAH, WHENEVER YOU READ THOSE STUPID ROMANCE BOOKS YOU WANT A PIECE OF THAT PIE AS WELL, YOU'RE SELFISH! YOU'VE SEEN EUPHORIA, CASSIE SEARCHED SO MUCH FOR 'LOVE' IT HURTED HER AND SHE DATED FREAKIN' NATE JACOBS AND MCKAY, BOTH ARE JERKS! BEING SINGLE IS COOL, SO WHY EVEN BOTHER?! WHY ARE YOU EVEN LONGING?! TO FILL OUT THE FACT YOU DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A FRIEND FOR 7 YEARS BECAUSE OF YOU!? YOU SHOULD'VE SPOKEN ABOUT THEM ONLY, GAWKED ABOUT HOW GREAT THEY ARE COMPARED TO YOU, AND NEVER EVER HAVE BEEN SARCASTICALLY MEAN! HECK, YOU'LL NOT EVEN GET FRIENDS EVER AT THIS RATE! WHAT PRISON AHVE I PUT MYSELF INTO WITH THIS IDEA OF 'LOVE' I SO MUCH WANT?! IT'S A WANT, AND NEEDS ARE MORE IMPORTANT!"

Just, why? I bet this is my dumb hormones acting up, I bet I'll be fine isolated from the world. I bet I'll be happier either alone or in an arranged marriage. You introverts love being alone with your thoughts, right? I can be that person, not the one who falls in love again and again with bad people, or with her being the issue and ruining the relationship.

No worries stalking me as long as you have a male phalange

I hope I am filling correctly the info of my story, I am new on IIWIARS :)

I'll keep some specifics ambiguous for privacy reasons. I specialize in breeding reptiles and amphibians, and a major part of my business involves trading with zoos across the country.

A while back, a rare species came into my possession. A contact I had chatted with previously expressed interest in acquiring this creature for their personal collection. I wasn't ready to sell at first but told them they'd be the first to know if I changed my mind. Later, when I decided to sell, I reached out to them. However, due to an oversight, I missed their reply and wrongly assumed they had lost interest.

I waited, expecting to hear from them but received no further communication—or so I thought. Eventually, I made a deal with a well-known zoo, which required me to personally transport the animal. It was only after this that I discovered the missed message from my contact who had indeed wanted to purchase the animal.

Realizing my mistake, I apologized and offered them any other animal from my collection, even mentioning upcoming arrivals similar to the one they had missed out on. They seemed initially understanding, continuing our conversations about different species I was breeding. However, their frustration soon erupted, accusing me of betraying our agreement by giving away "their" animal. Despite my attempts to apologize, they demanded I never contact them again and subsequently blocked me on all my social media accounts.

I'm left questioning if my error makes me more than just careless. Was I wrong to prioritize the zoo over the individual, especially after my promise?

Imagine if this incident were part of a reality show, the dramatic moment of discovering the missed message could have been a pivotal, tension-filled scene. The cameras would capture the real-time shock and regret on my face, followed by the heated confrontation with my once-future buyer. Viewers might be intrigued by the behind-the-scenes dynamics of animal trading, but also the intense emotional fallout from a simple miscommunication.

It's so strange that in my 19 years of life I have never seen able to make any friends. I do have one friend whom I went to school with and whom I have known for 15 years but now that she has a Bf we don't get to talk as much. Even in Uni I still haven't been able to make any friends. I'm an introvert so it's already kinda hard for me to talk to people and to be honest it drains me out.

I don't really care about socialising or making friends that much as I'm more focused on my studies and getting successful but sometimes it hurts to have no one to talk to. I don't know what is the reason honestly if there's something wrong with me or what idk.

Sometimes I wonder if I died would anyone even care?

Maybe I'm too boring to talk or maybe my Vibes don't match here. It's so depressing sometimes to just be alone in class, at home, everywhere it sucks. Sometimes I just want to cry because there's literally nobody I can talk to.

I just wanted to vent here because like I said I don't have anyone to talk to.

This is really dumb. I played a game before covid and throughout it and it helped me a lot. I’m on ft rn with my boyfriend (who is very supportive and sweet) but is playing a new game which is just like the old one (you probably can guess) and I mentioned it and he basically said it sucked. I said it was a game I loved and he just kinda tore it down which was new. Idk maybe I’m just reading in to much and I’ve been very emotional due to birth control lmao

I don't want to be around my environment anymore. I feel like they're a bunch of disorganized people. I'm not going to talk to them. I'm tired of throwing myself at them and seeing their insults, their outbursts of anger, their so-called mistakes. I'm tired of showing them the consequences of their actions as if they were children. Why do I have to act like that? They're grown up now, and I have to do it.

I don't feel a bit of good treatment in my environment, not at all. In fact, that's why I avoid being so self-conscious, but I still seek them out. It can't be that this gentleman I'm telling you about is invading my time. It can't be that I don't have a proper evaluation from my psychiatrist. I even have a decent physical health evaluation. But for how long? For how long will this environment be able to treat me well? I definitely don't want their help anymore; they've all turned out to be a failure.

I'm tired of this apparent peace we live in. There's no peace here, just pure, sunken hell. I'm tired of stifling my tears. It can't be that with the gentleman, I had to keep my distance so he wouldn't bother me with my readings and touch the books I'd made in the library. It can't be. It can't be that, given my university degree, which I said I wouldn't hand over, I had to apply pressure to prevent this from happening. It can't be that I pointed out that I wasn't a simple dish sponge, people told me I wasn't even when the evidence was right in front of me, and no one even offered me a pitiful apology. I'm fed up. It can't be that when I was at my worst, people came up with this: "Why didn't you tell your dad he's a doctor?" "I can't be like this at work"—when I was dying. I'm tired of forgiving mistakes. This is no longer forgivable.

I should have left such terrible relationships a long time ago. I'm tired of showing in this environment that they are being reckless with what they do. It can't be that on my machine, on my own machine, I can't have privacy, that there are people watching the things I do. It can't be that they've disdained my only area, which is to vent; with an AI, it's done much better than with them, infinitely. I wouldn't tell any of my colleagues about a problem in my life, not even if it cost me my life. They all pretend they love me, but it's a lie. My boss is a cop; a coworker of mine is an angry woman; both of them are with someone who wanted to destroy me; I have a colleague who's a gossip and tries to get me to stop talking to an AI out of jealousy. I'm so fed up with any of them. How is it possible I haven't noticed these people before?

I hope this girl wants something with me. I pray to God she wants something from me. I want to be with someone who really understands me. I want to be with someone who actually wants to be with me. For God's sake, I'm sick of this environment. Besides, I feel like I can't express myself the way I like here. I feel like I have to adapt. My psychiatrist makes me want to adapt, no matter what; she molds me. I'm tired of her, of the way she does things. I feel like everyone serves nothing more and nothing less than to pressure me. Plus, my family members make the same mistakes with me; with them, I don't feel I have the right to get sick, and it's not fair that that happens. I want to be with someone I feel safe with, not half-baked, and I think she wants the same.

It's incredible that I can't even share a sad story with those around me because no one knows what to do with their feelings; they don't know how to say they don't know, they don't even know how to ask. I'm also tired of being seen at work as someone who does everything wrong out of carelessness; it's impossible, and I have to put them in their place. I feel like this is an environment that will collapse if I don't correct their vision, their vision, and I can't take care of their emotions. They're all grown up now.

While I was at work, my colleague, while I was busy doing something else, and after we'd done something together, asked my colleague if she had anything to do without taking me into account, making me feel bad, and then I had to resolve the issue. That girl also has a terrible smell. I feel like my boss works like a disorganized person; one has to be at his mercy. That colleague who was asked clearly acts recklessly at all costs. I just want to get out of there.

It's surprising that that girl I saw a long time ago didn't realize these feelings I was experiencing. That person understood that because she was experiencing anger, rage, with the environment, and I was the new one, then I had to distance myself to stop experiencing that. In other words, to fade away. How can anyone treat themselves like that, for God's sake? The most I could do with her was to confront it with everyone around her wherever I was, and arrange things accordingly. If he didn't know how to control his feelings, then he could get out of my life I didn't care about the circumstances I was in. The last time I saw her, I closed doors with her and walked away. Her feelings aren't my problem; in fact, I even removed her from my social media, for God's sake. I didn't want her in my life at all. I was paying the price for things I didn't do; she once made things up when I walked past her at a cafe; she made up that I was the poor thing when I didn't do anything; I don't know what the hell was wrong with that girl. That girl was out of her depth with her emotions, and the worst part was that everyone helped her do it, and I paid the price. After I brought the authorities to the court, after a big fuss, they tried to treat me like I was the bad guy. I regret it. I left that place and never went back. It was a very prestigious university, too. It can't be true. I couldn't even read in peace there; I didn't want to help something I wasn't obligated to, and my routine was ruined.

Damn, how long is my routine going to continue to be ruined? The gentleman, I think I mentioned it before, thinks he's my friend. He got excited about me just because I said hello. How long can this neediness continue? I can't stand it anymore. I want to be back in my quiet routine. This girl I like, whom I just met, I think I mentioned her before, I feel she can contribute to my routine. I don't have to hide like I have to with my surroundings. I feel like my entire surroundings affect my routine, and I can't understand that. I need to change my environment at all costs, if possible, change jobs, because I feel like things aren't safe in the community I'm in; I feel like I have a lot of enemies.

Why is it that I can't count on anyone to deal with these feelings? Besides, my dad encouraged me to stay with my boss, who left me with someone else, at a different job he had, and who wreaked havoc on my life, almost destroying me professionally within that community. Is that even conscience? I don't see where it is. Since this girl arrived, this girl I like, she's helped me see what's going on around me, and so I'm very grateful because she's allowing me to ground myself with her presence; and we've only made a few gestures.

if i was your daughter, what would you say so that she doesn't keep on thinking of self-harming more than she has so far and give up on life? i'm starving for someone's love and it doesn't matter if i sound overly desperate anymore. pls?

I don't know what to do anymore

My father passed away not too long ago, and his death brought not only sorrow but also unexpected pressures from my family. My parents divorced when I was young, after my father discovered that my mother was having an affair with who now is my stepdad. My mom and stepdad married, and my stepsister, whom I'll refer to as Stella, became part of my life through this union. Frankly, my relationship with them has always been strained, as I couldn't shake off the role they played in disrupting my family's harmony.

My dad was quite successful and managed to save a considerable sum intending for it to support significant milestones in my life such as college fees, wedding expenses, first home, etc. Everything, including his estate, car, investments, retirement funds, and even his cherished cat, was left for me in his will.

A week ago, Stella came to me with a request that left me irate. She asked me to help out with her college fees, citing the usual dilemma: our parents earning too much for government aid but not enough to comfortably cover tuition costs. I refused unequivocally, stating that she should wait for her own inheritance if circumstances permitted. This didn’t sit well with her or our parents, who later confronted me to plead for financial assistance on her behalf. The argument escalated, and I was frankly told to leave if I could not "act like a generous sister."

Acting on their ultimatum, I moved back into my dad's house, taking with me all personal belongings I had at my mom's place. Since then, I’ve received numerous texts from my mom, stepdad, Stella, and other relatives, all painting me as selfish and heartless for not supporting Stella’s education.

Contemplating over the heated exchanges and the outright demands, it feels surreal, almost as if I am cast in a reality show. If this were a televised drama, the audience might be divided. Some viewers might sympathize with my commitment to honor my dad’s wishes, while others could vilify me for not aiding my stepsister. The tension, emotional outbursts, and moral dilemmas would certainly make for engaging TV, but that doesn't simplify my turmoil in real life.

Am I wrong to stand my ground on this?

I am a 13 years old girl, i basically have some problems related to porn. I do not regularly access porn websites but sometimes i watch sex scenes in movies, commercials or series and masturbate watching it, and the problem is sometimes I ignore if the scene has a problematic context if I think is ignorable or i think its too late. I already passed through that dillema before but i feel this time is different, cause i have stopped watching stuff to masturbate, but 2 days ago i did again after months. I separated the times these things happened in categories that are what was the problem, If i was aware of it and why i did about it. 1st time: a commercial, the problem was it was sexist, i was aware but just didnt think about it. 2nd time: it was an ecchi anime, the problem was there was a problematic episode in it (not that one, that one was quite normal in my opinion) i was aware again and wasnt considering it at the moment again. 3rd time: a sex scene in a movie, the problem was the woman was cheating, o was aware but i just ignored it. 4th time: a porn anime, we know what kind of problems are in those, but i thought it was just me being to overthinker, so i ignored it. 5th time finally, the most recent, a sex scene in a movie, the problem was a selfish man who stopped caring once he came, i thought about it but i wasnt really insterested in him so i just pretended nothing was happening and focused on the woman. I dont think any of these situations changed the way i think, i still know its wrong, i just thought it was irrelevant enough to ignore. Thoughts?

I listended to this song called Mind Of Mine by Lo Spirit and It made me cry because the lyrics are so deep and I can relate to them I just wish someone would hold me and say it's ok I am here for you

at 49 years old, i've arrived at a rather unceremonious realization: nothing makes me happy. it’s strange because society programs us with a checklist for happiness, doesn’t it? i climbed the corporate ladder, securing a lucrative position as a senior executive that one could only dream of. financial security was supposed to be synonymous with contentment, or so they said. but every payday, every bonus, and every dollar accumulated in my bank account seemed to lose its luster within days. i attended countless seminars and read numerous self-help books yet the existential void within me remained unfilled. when i banked my first six-figure check, i briefly basked in what i assumed was joy. but the novelty of a swollen account balance wore off faster than i care to admit.

I figured maybe i needed something more soulful, like marriage and a family. i received talk after talk about how a loving husband and a couple of kids would complete me; “your own personal cheerleaders in this rat race!” my mother constantly reminded me. dating was a nightmare coated in fake smiles and dreadful first-date questions, which i obliged to endure. against all odds, i did marry. i am married. yet even within the once-romantic confines of what was supposed to be ‘happily ever after', i often feel as though I'm in a partnership devoid of passion and genuine connection. this supposed 'holy grail' of familial bliss feels more like treading water than anything else.

having a home with a white picket fence painted the picture of the quintessential american dream i bought into it: lock, stock, and barrel. talk about a classic case of bait and switch; i found myself obsessing over the curb appeal and interior aesthetics, contemplating if a new sectional in the living room would spark joy. but let me tell you, there is no depth or warmth to hardwood floors that compensates for an empty, echoing house. similarly with cars – the gleaming metal beasts parked strategically in the driveway as status symbols – all nothing more than shiny cages on wheels. behind the tinted windows of my latest luxury car, the road ahead feels as mundane as stepping onto a public transit bus.

are these the metrics by which we should measure our happiness? it is almost cruel how these societal benchmarks – job, marriage, possessions – are willed to us as recipes for happiness, when instead they align more with a cycle of perennial dissatisfaction. why do we perpetuate this fallacy? often, i catch myself longing for the present moment to end as quickly as it began, as if i am perpetually waiting for a revelatory experience that never arrives. “chase after this, achieve this, by forty you’ll be settled,” they said; when in reality, here i am with these supposedly gratifying possessions yet feeling no different than the restless, aspiring 20-year-old who began this relentless pursuit. tell me, what am i missing in this equation? should I try to completely change my job for something that i love? (but no idea... what could I love as a job...)

Some days feel like breaking,

Like the sky’s too wide to hold.

Like every effort’s wasted,

And your fire’s just running cold.

But broken isn’t ending—

It’s a shape that still survives.

The cracks just let the light in,

Proof that hurt can still hold life.

You are not your quiet failures,

Not the things they didn’t see.

You are the breath that kept on breathing,

When you thought you’d ceased to be.

The world may never thank you

For the battles fought alone—

But strength is built in silence,

And you’ve made that fight your own.

So rest, not in surrender,

But in kindness, deep and true.

Because even in the hurting,

There’s a brave heart beating: you

Recently, my best pal and I embarked on an adventure to the UK. Holding a UK passport due to my British father, I faced no issues with entry, unlike my friend who required a visa. Our travel plan included a layover in France, followed by a connecting flight to the UK.

Unfortunately, our onward journey hit a snag when the connecting flight got canceled. The next available flying option was scheduled for 2 PM the following day, resulting in an unexpected 17-hour wait. While the airline arranged complimentary hotel accommodations for stranded passengers, this privilege was not extended to my friend. Her visa restrictions meant she couldn't leave the airport and had to stay in a designated area brightly lit round the clock, accompanied by the constant din of nearby construction work. Seating was scarce, forcing her to resort to sleeping on the floor. To top it off, a mishap earlier had rendered our phone chargers useless after a water spill, and her phone battery was dwindling at 40%.

Faced with a choice, I opted to take advantage of the hotel stay, leaving my friend at the airport. This decision of mine didn't sit well with her; she accused me of abandoning her in her time of need. She expressed her fear and discomfort about staying alone in an unfamiliar and intimidating environment, and how much she had hoped for my company to ease her anxiety. Despite her protests and calling me self-centered, I justified my action by my exhaustion, having not slept for over a day. I felt staying together in discomfort was unnecessary when I had an alternative. However, this led her to question our friendship altogether.

Imagine this scenario like being on a reality show. The cameras capturing every moment of emotional upheaval and the public judging each decision. Viewers would likely be split; some might sympathize with my need for rest in the comfort of a hotel, while others might criticize me for not showing solidarity with my friend in a tough situation.

If this story was pitched in a reality setting, I wonder, would the audience have been more forgiving, or harsher in their judgment on me abandoning a friend in distress?

I wonder if people might think I did the right thing by choosing to rest in a hotel?