John

keep your politics of any stripe, hate, and fraud out of my feed. no exceptions.
I do *not* follow back locked profiles.

[noor୨୧ @wottheberry]

my younger sister called me on a random tuesday afternoon just to ask how to make our mom’s traditional lentil soup recipe.

she sounded totally normal on the phone, laughing about her apartment smelling like cheap takeout and complaining about midterms.

she didn't ask for money. she didn't sound sick. she just kept asking how long the garlic was supposed to simmer.

after we hung up, i couldn't shake this weird feeling in my chest.

she hasn't cooked a real meal for herself since she moved out two years ago. she lives on iced coffee and energy bars.

why was she suddenly trying to recreate a comfort meal from our childhood home in the middle of a random week?

i didn't text her. i just got in my car on friday night and drove three hours to her campus.

when i knocked on her apartment door, her roommate opened it, took one look at me standing there with a bag of groceries, and immediately stepped back without saying a single word.

i walked into the kitchen and saw my sister sitting on the floor by the counter.

she had a pot of water boiling on the stove, but the kitchen table was completely buried under weeks of unwashed dishes, unfolded laundry, and final project printouts.

she looked up at me, and her eyes just flooded with tears.

she didn't fail a class. she didn't break up with anyone.

she was just entirely exhausted from the relentless pressure of working two jobs while maintaining a full course load, and her brain had literally reached its breaking point.

she was trying to cook that soup because she just wanted to smell home again.

i didn't give her a lecture on time management. i just put my jacket down, washed every single dish in her sink, and spent the weekend helping her clean her life back up.

there are some kinds of exhaustion that don’t make you ask for help directly.

they just make you start craving the smell of home.

[Robert Sterling @RobertMSterling]

I just had the craziest experience at the airport.

We are about to board a flight to Atlanta when the pilot from the incoming plane walks out of the jetway. Guy is probably late 50s, salt and pepper hair, military look. The kind of pilot you instantly feel good about seeing on your flight.

Pilot walks over to the counter, gets on the PA system, and starts addressing everyone. “Folks, I’ve been doing this a long time. Flying one of these jets is easy. The hard part is looking at 130 people and telling them their flight is going to be delayed.”

Audible groans throughout the boarding gate. Most people here are flying to Atlanta as a layover before another flight. 130 people just had their day become a complete mess.

The pilot goes on. “I get it, trust me. But here’s the deal: During our landing, we had a small mechanical issue. I’m not your pilot for the next leg, but I don’t feel confident the jet’s safe to fly until we have a mechanical team look it over, and I don’t feel comfortable asking the next pilots to fly you guys until we get confirmation.”

He points at the agents next to him behind the counter: “Now, none of this is the agents’ fault. Please be kind to them. I’m the one who made this decision, not them, so any inconvenience you experience is my fault. Just please know that I don’t do this lightly, and I’m only doing it because I believe it’s in the best interests of everyone’s safety.”

Now this is where the story gets crazy. The pilot puts the microphone down, grabs his suitcase, and all the people in the gate…

Start clapping.

I’m not joking, everyone starts clapping for the guy. 130 people who just had their travel plans ruined give an ovation to the guy who made the decision and delivered the message.

All because he addressed them with decency and transparency, took ownership of the decision, made it clear that it was necessary, and explained why it was in everyone’s best interest.

It’s honestly one of the best examples of strong communication—of strong leadership, for that matter—that I’ve seen in a long time.

@Delta, whoever your Atlanta to Wichita pilot was this morning, he’s one of the good ones. Please tell him the delayed passengers of flight 1637 appreciate what he did.

[Mike Bales 🫡🇺🇸 @MikeBales]

An Irish woman of a certain age went to see her doctor and asked if there was anything he could prescribe to help revive her husband’s love life.

“Have you tried Viagra?” the doctor asked.

“Not a hope,” she replied. “The man won’t even take a paracetamol.”

“No problem,” said the doctor. “Try what we call ‘Irish Viagra.’ Slip a tablet into his coffee. He’ll never notice it. Give it a go and ring me next week to let me know how you get on.”

Well, she didn’t even last the week before calling him back.

“Doctor!” she cried. “Faith and begorrah, it was awful! Absolutely terrible!”

“Really?” the doctor asked. “What happened?”

“Well, I did exactly what you said and dropped the tablet into his coffee. The effect was nearly instant. He leapt to his feet with a wild sparkle in his eye and his trousers bulging like a circus tent!”

The doctor said, “Good heavens.”

“Before I knew it, he swept the cups clean off the table, tore me clothes clean off me back, and took me there and then, right on the tabletop!”

“So why was it so terrible?” asked the doctor. “Was the sex not good?”

“Good?” she shouted. “It was the best sex I’ve had in twenty-five years!” She paused dramatically.

“But I’ll never be able to show me face in Starbucks again!”

[John @john_from_IL]

@britloveshorror I love what you've done with your hair!

[John @john_from_IL]

Psht. Gen X has done it all.

[Honey 🛼 @honeymoon250]

9 for me!!! I feel confident nobody
Has all 20

How many for you???

[Sophia ❣️ @KeruboSk]

My therapist said something that hasn’t left me:

People living with anxiety and depression often don’t remember much, not because their lives lacked meaning, but because they were busy surviving moment to moment. When you’re in survival mode, you’re not fully present… and when you’re not fully present, memories don’t really stick.
And yeah… that hit me.

[Crazy Vibes @CrazyVibes_1]

My mom is 70. Lives alone. Neighbor came over last week. Said “Your mom okay? I haven’t seen her in days.” I went to check. Found her on the floor. Fell. Couldn’t get up. Been there three days. Dehydrated. Scared. Alone. I asked why she didn’t call. She said “My phone was on the table. I couldn’t reach it.” The neighbor said “I should’ve checked sooner. I’m sorry.” Got mom to the hospital. She recovered. The neighbor visited every day. Brought flowers. Sat with her. When mom came home the neighbor said “I’m checking on you daily now. Whether you like it or not.” Every morning. 9 AM. Knocks on the door. Makes sure mom’s okay. Brings her coffee. Talks. Cares. Mom’s not alone anymore. Because a neighbor paid attention. Noticed an absence. Checked. I thanked her. She said “That’s what neighbors do. We look out for each other.” I think about those three days. Mom on the floor. Nobody coming. I think about what would’ve happened. Without this neighbor. Who noticed. Who cared. Sometimes being saved looks like someone knocking on your door.

—Amanda, Georgia

[Sheila of the Most High @sheilatebra]

Anonymous

I witnessed something at a grocery store. Young man. Special needs. Bagging groceries. Proud of his job. Careful with every item. Older customer. Impatient. Rude. “Can you go any slower? I don’t have all day.”
Young man’s face. Crushed. Trying not to cry. Kept working. Slower now. Hands shaking. Manager noticed. Came over. “Sir your groceries are free today.” Customer looked shocked. “Why?” “Because you just taught my employee that some customers don’t deserve his excellent service.
I won’t charge you. But I will ask you to leave.”
Customer left. Angry. Embarrassed. Good. Young man looked at his manager. “You didn’t have to do that.” “Yes I did. Nobody talks to you like that. Not in my store. Not anywhere.”
Other customers started clapping. Small applause. Support. Recognition. Young man smiled. Started bagging again. Confident. Protected. Valued.
Manager told me afterward. “He’s the best employee I have. Never late. Never complains. Treats every customer like they matter.
He deserves the same respect.”
Started shopping there exclusively after that. Watching that young man work. Always patient. Always kind. Always careful. Learned his name. We talk now. He remembers what I buy. Asks about my family. Makes every visit personal.
Saw him training a new employee last month. Teaching her how to bag. How to treat customers. Passing on what he learned. Kindness. Care. Excellence. “Everyone deserves respect. Customers and workers. That’s what my manager taught me.”.
Sometimes the best managers don’t just run stores. They build dignity.

[John @john_from_IL]

@jamieee_jj Sure, DM me

[her.🎀 @luv1bun]

My husband once told me staying home with the kids “isn’t real work,” so I told him to prove it.

We’ve got two little ones... 3 and 5... and I also run a small business from home. I handle the kids, the house, everything. One night I was exhausted and didn’t cook, told him to just order food, and he got mad like I’d been doing nothing all day. So he said he’d stay home the next day and show me how easy it is.

I left early the next morning and let him take over—no instructions, no backup, just the full routine I do every day.

By noon, he had already called me twice asking where things were. By 3, one kid was crying, the other refused to nap, and the kitchen looked like a storm hit it. I came home to toys everywhere, dishes piled up, and him sitting on the couch looking completely defeated.

He didn’t say much… just handed me the baby monitor and went quiet.

That night, he ordered dinner himself... and hasn’t called my days “easy” ever since.

[Elizabeth🥳 @Deseiye_]

The man in front of me kept apologising.

“Sorry… sorry… I’ll put it back.”

One by one, he removed items from his basket. Bread. Indomie. A small tin of milk.

People behind us started getting impatient.

“Please hurry up,” someone said.

He nodded quickly, embarrassed, and picked the cheapest thing left.

When it was time to pay—his card declined.

Silence.

He forced a laugh. “It’s fine, I’ll come back.”

But this time, no one said anything.

Not the cashier.
Not the people in line.
Not even me.

He picked up his empty basket… and walked out.

I don’t know why—but I followed him.

Outside, he sat on the curb, head down.

I stood there for a second, then asked, “Are you okay?”

He shook his head slowly.

“I haven’t told my family I lost my job,” he said.
“They still think I send money every week.”

That one sentence hit harder than anything.

Because now it wasn’t just about hunger.

It was about pride.
Pressure.
Pretending to be strong for everyone else.

I went back inside, bought everything he dropped, and brought it to him.

He looked at me like I had given him something much bigger than food.

Then he said:

“This is the first time in weeks… I don’t feel like I’m failing.”

And that’s the twist nobody talks about—

Sometimes people aren’t breaking because of what they lost.

They’re breaking because they think they have to carry it alone.

Check on your “strong” friends.

They’re usually the ones silently falling apart.

❤️

[Harman @itsharmanjot]

HR: We noticed you discussed your salary with a coworker.

Employee: Yes.

HR: That's against company policy.

Employee: It's also against federal law to have that policy.

HR: Excuse me?

Employee: Look up the National Labor Relations Act. I'll wait. ↓

[Sheila of the Most High @sheilatebra]

Anonymous

I work overnight at a gas station. Highway exit. Mostly truckers passing through. Woman pulled up at 3 AM. Minivan. Three kids asleep in back. Came inside counting change. “Four dollars and thirty-seven cents. How much gas will that get me?” “Where you headed?” She looked terrified. “Away. My ex found us. We left everything. This is all the money I have.” Saw bruises on her wrists she was trying to hide...
“Fill your tank.” “I can’t pay for ” “I know. Fill it anyway.” While her tank filled I grabbed food. Chocolate bars. Juice boxes. Sandwiches. Water. Bagged it up. She tried to refuse. “Those kids need to eat. Take it.” Gave her sixty dollars from my wallet. “For whatever you need next.” She broke down at the pump. “Why are you helping us?” “Because you’re brave. And those babies need you safe.”
Two years later a woman in a pantsuit walked in. Took me a second. It was her. Kids were with her. Healthy. Smiling. Older now. “We’re safe. I’m a paralegal. We have an apartment.
This is for you.” Handed me seven hundred dollars. “Everything you gave us plus what your kindness was worth.” She’d started something else. Emergency fund for abuse survivors. Gas money. Motel rooms. Food. “Thirty-one women helped escape so far. Because a gas station clerk saw us running and gave us wings.” Her daughter hugged me. “Thank you for helping Mommy save us.” Some tanks of gas change everything.

[John @john_from_IL]

@Glitter_Pigeon He crossed a boundary, she set him straight. Yes, he should have been punished. I hope there were witnesses so other boys knew she's not to be fucked with.

[🥀💀 ʝɛռռ ɖɨɛֆɛʟ 💀🥀 @Glitter_Pigeon]

When our oldest daughter hit puberty a boy in her class decided to take it upon himself to grab her boob so she punched him in the face. Of course she got in trouble and he did not but we have zero regrets about it.

[John @john_from_IL]

Yes, boys need to know this shit. For sisters, girlfriends, partners, wives, daughters....
You step up when she needs help. And no, I don't mean knight in shining armor crap - she needs pads, you get them. She needs chocolate, you get it. She needs heat, you provide it.

[Mila ✧ @aip551]

Y’all my sons’ best girl friend came over to hang today and the minute she walked in the door she hugged me and said into my ear: I need to talk to you in private.

Ok girly.

Y’all, she started her period this morning for the first time and her Mom is out of town with the military and she told her older sister, but she didn’t want to ask her Dad for pads.

I only have boys. And they knew something was up, and she kind of danced around it for a bit then told them.

Y’all when I tell you we
were going all out in that drug store. The boys were hunting down chocolate and heating pads while I was going over pad options with her. They have been feeding her and watching movies and playing video games with her all afternoon.

I never thought I’d get to guide a young girl through her first visit from Aunt Flo!! And I’m so thankful she felt comfortable enough with me and my boys to let us help. 💜

[Sophia ❣️ @KeruboSk]

Be careful with people who have HIGH FUNCTIONING DEPRESSION. Let me explain:

1. They get up, get dressed, go to work, and cry in silence when nobody’s watching.

2. They check on everybody else, but don’t feel safe asking for help themselves.

3. Their smile is practiced, their “I’m fine” is automatic, their breakdowns are private.

4. They appear to be okay, give solid advice, and hold everybody down, but when the world gets quiet, their thoughts get loud.

🧵

[lets heal and recover @recovery_your]

Trauma responses don’t always look like what people expect.

Sometimes they look like:
• Apologising excessively even when you’ve done nothing wrong.
• Struggling to trust kindness.
• Over explaining so people don’t get upset with you.
• Wanting closeness but feeling scared of it.
• Shutting down when overwhelmed.
• Staying calm in chaos but falling apart when you’re finally alone.

These aren’t “overreactions.”
They’re learned survival patterns.

[lorah @lorahmoe]

Nobody likes you when you show symptoms of negative mental health. It’s a fact. We can talk all day about ‘mental health matters’ and how important it is, but the moment you are depressed, or show signs of struggling, people start to distance themselves.

They see you as a burden, not a person in pain who needs help.

[Simons @Simon_Ingari]

Manager: We noticed you did not join the team dinner on Friday.

Employee: Yes, I had personal plans.

Manager: We just feel like you have not been making enough effort to bond with the team.

Employee: I do my job well, meet deadlines, and collaborate when needed.

Manager: This is not just about work. Culture matters too.

Employee: Does culture mean I have to explain what I do after work?

Manager: No, but we do value people who fully immerse themselves in the team.

Employee: By immerse, do you mean answer late-night messages, attend unpaid socials, and keep my weekend available for company bonding?

Manager: We are looking for people who are the right fit.

Employee: So “culture fit” means being productive at work and accessible in my personal life.

Manager: It means being committed.

Employee: No. Commitment is doing my job. Control is expecting access to me after hours and calling it culture.

Manager: I think you are looking at this too negatively.

Employee: I think companies have normalized invading personal boundaries and rebranded it as team spirit.

Too many companies call it “culture fit” when what they really want is control over your personal life.

You are not a bad employee because you protect your time.
You are not disengaged because you do not want your boss managing your evenings, weekends, and friendships.

A healthy culture respects boundaries.
A toxic one treats boundaries like disloyalty.