What is it that makes people confess their deepest, darkest sins to millions of strangers? While we may not know the answer, we do know that the following confessions run the gamut from funny to salacious to nasty nightmare fuel. In fact, you might want an Ouija board to send some of these skeletons back to the closets from whence they came.
1. A Series Of Unfortunate Events
One fall day when I was 11 years old, I was taking out the garbage. While doing this, I spotted a box of matches next to our barbeque grill. I decided to burn a tiny heap of leaves.
I watched the leaves burn for a couple of minutes before stomping on them to extinguish the fire. Or so I thought. What I didn't realize was that the embers had skittered next to our house.
It was absolutely horrifying. Before I knew it, our home was engulfed in flames. However, that wasn't the worst part. Thankfully, the fire department was able to extinguish the fire and our home insurance covered the damage. But the authorities grew curious about the fire's origin.
Their conclusion was that an intruder might have hopped the fence and set the leaf pile alight to purposefully burn our house. This unfortunate scenario led my parents to believe we were in danger. Fearing for our safety, they decided to relocate.
This decision made them forfeit their well-paying jobs and lose a significant amount of money on the house sale. Over the next seven years, we lived in a state of constant worry and poverty. Unbeknownst to my parents, I was the one responsible for our drastic life change.
2. Lucky Break
34 years ago, I was caught with a bunch of work computers, approximately $25,000 worth, and was charged with grand theft. There were errors on the official records though—they had my name and birthday wrong. I didn’t provide my license or social security number either, repeatedly insisting that "I couldn't remember them" during my 3-month sentence.
Even now, I still occasionally perform background checks on myself. And, to be honest, my heart pounds every single time, even though my record continues to come up clean.
3. You Do You
Recently, I made a significant career change—I switched to being an exotic dancer. It's had an unexpected positive spin. The only one privy to this secret is my spouse.
Now, I find myself enjoying more meaningful time with my family, benefiting from financial security, and keeping fit. Money-related stress relating to bills and budgets is no longer an issue.
Based on the urgency, our home needs can be placed on either our weekly or monthly shopping lists. Now, if my spouse wants to indulge in a new hobby, he has the freedom to do so. When my child falls ill, affording the medication is no longer a concern.
Essentially, I've eliminated our money worries. Growing up, I constantly worried about having enough food, utilities, heating, and essentials like tampons. Now, I derive great satisfaction from providing for my loved ones.
4. Hate The Game, Not The Player, Right?
I've skilfully crafted an illusion that I'm fully committed to my project, when in reality, it only consumes half of my time. I've cleverly structured my tasks in a way that allows me the freedom to do anything but work when I'm in the office. When it's a work-from-home day, I mostly indulge in video games.
Whenever queried about my workload, I knew exactly what to do—I paint a picture of being completely inundated with schedules, deadlines, and the likes. An unintended offshoot of these circumstances has enhanced my ability to convince others, making them believe almost anything I say. This has been my professional life for the past two years.
If my boss or colleagues ever discovered that I'm clocking only around 20 hours a week for a full-time job, my termination would be swift. Besides, I reside in a small town where rumours spread like wildfire, and such a scandal would harm my reputation and job prospects in the future.
Finally, I want to add that my actions don't weigh heavy on my conscience at all.
5. The Sweet Smell Of Revenge
When I was just a kid of about 10, my faithful pup and I were strolling home when he, following his instincts, veered crosscut through a lawn. Unfortunately, this lawn belonged to an ever-grumpy elderly lady living on the edge of our block.
As fate would have it, she was outside, meticulously caring for her exceptionally posh roses. Past her notice, she saturated my dog with a spray that appeared to be insecticide or perhaps a fertilizer.
I should point out that my buddy, a full-breed golden retriever, was the friendliest of canines, and definitely posed no threat to her. I was in utter disbelief when she dispensed whatever chemicals she was supplying to her roses right onto my dog.
In a panic, I darted back home with my companion, quickly rinsing off the substance with a hose. He hacked a few times but seemed to shake it off.
At that moment, I refrained from telling my parents. For some reason, I was convinced I'd get scolded for allowing my dog to trespass on her property. To my relief, I never did confess, because I had a plan to avenge the incident.
That very night, I sneakily slithered downstairs, escaped through the powder room window, and crept back to her yard. There, I diligently decimated every single one of her precious roses I could reach—payback time!
6. Putting In The Work
You might not know this about me, but I once struggled with an alcohol addiction. I've since journeyed through detox, rehab, and aftercare. Then, I transitioned from a halfway house to my own flat in a different state; that move seemed to help a bit.
Here I am at 31 and, to be frank, it's rough sailing. I long to move past the need for secrets and deception, yet opening up about my experiences tends to lead to awkward situations.
This path is truly challenging, mainly because I fear judgment from others if I share my story. This fear is what makes dishonesty so tempting. After all, it's worked for me up until now, so why change a winning strategy? But deep down, I also recognize that living with this secret is a constant burden and could eventually backfire.
Feels like I'm caught between a rock and a hard place.
7. What Happens On Vacation Stays On Vacation
I took a vacation to China and stayed with some relatives, and one night I decided to enjoy a bike ride. It was around 9:30 pm when I took a left turn and clumsily crashed into a pile of garbage cans. My leg ended up trapped in some hole.
Looking ahead to the alleyway I was about to enter, I noticed a man decked out in an excessive number of masks—five, to be exact, each positioned perfectly to hide his face.
It was such an absurd sight that I nearly burst into laughter, but the growing pain in my leg reined me in. This masked figure was wielding a huge blade, about the length of a ruler, and threatening another man with it.
The second man was considerably older and had an incredibly long scarf wrapped around his neck, the longest I’ve ever seen. I couldn't do anything but watch, frozen, as they angrily shouted at each other in Mandarin.
It turned out the man in the scarf owed the masked man a significant sum of money. I must've given away my position by making a noise because suddenly, they both looked my way, looking startled.
In a swift motion, the masked man threw the scarf-wearing man to the ground, shot me an intense look, rude gesture included, and disappeared into the darkness of the night.
8. Just What The Doctor Ordered
For weeks, I'd been suffering from severe abdominal pain and bleeding. After a visit to the gynecologist, I found out a disturbing development—that my ex-boyfriend had transmitted chlamydia to me. Considering I had tested negative prior to being with him, and having not been with anyone else, I knew he was the source.
I later discovered that there were others he'd been involved with who also had the infection. He continuously pinned the blame on me, hurling hurtful words my way, which eventually led to our breakup.
Although I knew our relationship was nearing its end, it was his harsh words, more than the breakup, that hit me the hardest. Irrespective, I took responsibility and got antibiotics for both of us. My best friend warned me that the side effects included severe stomach pain and extreme bowel movements.
Sure enough, the effects hit hard. I chose to wait until my days off to begin taking them, so I could stay home and deal with the unpleasant side effects, which included frequent trips to the bathroom. When it came time to give the antibiotics to my ex, I was feeling a bit spiteful. I took the chance to get some petty revenge.
I suggested he take his dose before heading to work, claiming it kept me awake all night. In truth, I hoped he'd experience the uncomfortable side effects where he couldn't easily escape them--at work.
9. Road Trip Gone Wrong
In my twenties, I decided to have a grand time traveling around the country in a recreational vehicle. Driving from one city to another, savoring delicious meals and exploring interesting stores and sites was my idea of a fantastic summer.
Sounds like a perfect way to spend your holidays, right? Well, it certainly would have been, had I not committed an imprudent act in one of the places I stopped by.
For some bizarre reason, I decided to take a high-valued item from a store, which obviously didn't turn out well. I got caught, they put me in handcuffs, and I ended up in the back of a police car.
As fate would have it, the officer received an urgent call while we were on our way to the police station. He parked the car, left me locked inside (with air conditioning, thankfully!), and went to attend the urgent matter.
On impulse, I checked the car door and it was unlocked. I took this chance to escape: I sprinted a few blocks to find my RV. Once inside, I managed to slip one hand out of the handcuffs. Without any delay, I started the vehicle and left town. Nervously, I remembered that I hadn’t given them my personal details and, thankfully, my wallet and phone were safe inside the RV.
Even though they recovered the stolen item, they were unable to determine my identity. Fortunately, I haven't encountered any repercussions from that incident since then.
10. Blame COVID
During the chaos of the pandemic, my husband and I endured a two-year separation. At this point, I was also awaiting my Green Card, which made it impossible for me to visit him. He managed to come over once during that period, and I noticed a dating app on his phone. I couldn't help but take a surreptitious look at his device.
Looking through his messages, it became clear he'd been communicating with another woman. Their conversation suggested they had a physical encounter. From my understanding, this happened once and not many messages were exchanged after that. I never confronted him about it, and I really don't want to.
Ever since I've arrived in the US, he's been exceedingly affectionate and attentive. I've noticed no signs of dating apps on his phone or computer. If I were to reveal what I know to him, or tell any of our friends or family, I believe they would urge me to leave him and think less of me if I didn't. Now, with a baby boy in our lives, I have no wish to cause turbulence over a meaningless one-night fling.
11. Hot For Teacher
I earn a decent income penning mature short tales—but here's what's really surprising about my secret. I have a character that keeps popping up in my stories, and he's modeled after one of my college professors. Imagine my shock when he stumbled upon one of these stories and detected my writing style!
I was flabbergasted to find the corrections and advice he'd sent after perusing the story. He was aware the character was inspired by him. He figured out my crush on him. Eventually, we became intimately involved.
12. Catch Me If You Can
After spending a semester at a local community college, I landed a summer internship at a company where even the entry-level jobs typically demand two university degrees. This unpaid six-week gig was actually an act of goodwill from one of my buddies. I have to admit, I was utterly thankful at the time, even though I had no clue what the future had in store for me.
Fast forward, and I've been with this company for three decades. I climbed the corporate ladder, absorbed increasingly complex roles with more responsibilities. Today, I manage a team of highly educated individuals, each boasting a vast and varied knowledge across intricate subjects where any slip-up could lead to serious personal, professional, and business ramifications.
I've had the honor of collecting numerous regional and national awards for my accomplishments in my profession. I'm often seen guiding younger, degree-packed colleagues, who have a longer string of educational terminologies following their names than even my doctor does. But there's something they don't know.
I never actually received my high school diploma. The topic of my education just never came up.
13. Time To Face The Music
In my freshman year, we hosted a music competition at school. I suspect it was an effort to discourage students from ditching music when they got to pick their own subjects. I signed up for the song making category, planning to create my own techno track as I was learning to use this new music sequencing software.
Sadly, I kept putting off the work and couldn't produce a decent piece. Instead, I turned in a sample track that came with the software. When the competition night arrived, I found out that the only other participants were a pair of special-needs students who played the similar chords repeatedly. I was terrified to withdraw for fear of admitting to my copy-pasting.
As it turned out, I ended up winning the category, which did not feel good at all. To top it off, my music teacher played my song before the whole class and went out of her way to persuade me to take music for my exams.
14. Blood Is Not Thicker Than Money
About a year ago, I discovered that after my father passed away, his will listed me as the main beneficiary of his modest fortune. I was only 15 then. At that point, my parents had already divorced, and my mother decided to set aside all his savings until I turned 18. But a problem arose: I never saw a single cent of that money, and the reason behind it was quite disturbing.
It turns out, my mother had quietly taken the money and dishonestly claimed that he hadn't left us with much. With the funds meant for me and my brother, she paid off the family home in full. She treated herself to fancy jewelry and a few vacations. For a time, I thought of hiring a lawyer, but I chose to pretend that I knew nothing.
If word got out about her deeds, it would surely rip our family apart once again. So now, I’m a broke 23-year-old scrimping and saving for my own home, fully aware that there’s approximately $450,000 out there that should be mine. My close friend's husband, a lawyer, looked at my case and the proof I gathered.
He confirmed that if I decided to take this to court, it would likely resolve in my favor rather quickly. But I won’t put my brother or the rest of my family through that. I do, however, have a plan. When I'm 30 and starting a family of my own, I will confront her and propose that we quietly devise a plan for her to return what I am due.
Currently, she seems to believe she has deceived me. She even has the audacity to lie about struggling with mortgage payments. I don’t despise her, instead, I pity her. You have to be in a pretty dark place to do something like that to your own children, but that’s where we find ourselves. I genuinely hope that the guilt of her actions keeps her awake at night.
15. The Truth Is Out There
During my teen years, I really struggled with compulsive lying. It got to the point where my fabrications dominated my world, rapidly destroying potential relationships. Furthermore, years of deceiving people messed me up mentally, as it forced me to suppress my real feelings.
I'm thankfully on the road to recovery now, getting much-needed therapy and medication—but it's been a journey filled with mixed emotions.
Part of my attempt to heal involved coming clean about my dishonesty to those I had lied to. Unsurprisingly, some people have cut ties with me, which is a reaction I don't hold against them. Opening up in this way was both profoundly liberating and deeply upsetting.
If you're experiencing something similar, please do confide in someone. I still occasionally feel the pull towards deceit, but now, I immediately own up to it if I give in, which helps me confront my feelings of guilt.
16. Don’t Get Mad, Get Even
When I returned from a trip to Vegas, let's say I found my room in less-than-ideal condition, thanks to a prank by my old roommates. My abode was a disaster, covered in pizza, stained sheets, soggy toilet paper on my ceiling, not to mention a few unflushed surprises in my bathroom. Not exactly the welcome home gift I was expecting.
As someone who tries to avoid conflict, I brushed off their prank with a laugh, but in my mind, payback was necessary. And I knew just where to hit them.
One night when they were out, I made a little addition to their orange juice – a dash of 'natural flavor', if you catch my drift. The following morning, I couldn't help but grin as they enjoyed their 'special' juice. Up until now, my secret concoction remains undiscovered.
17. Kids Are Cruel
Before, I was a target of bullying due to extreme eczema that affected my face. I had no eyebrows, my skin was extremely rough and inflamed, which led to the unpleasant nickname "Alligator Girl". Now, I've started a treatment that has transformed me completely.
This impactful change, or 'glow-up', has left me feeling a bit like an impostor, and I've been noticing some benefits from being considered more attractive. However, I carry a constant fear that people might discover my less appealing past.
18. Coming Clean
Back in my 20s, I struggled with addiction. Now, nine years into sobriety, even the people closely linked to my current life, except for my wife, kids, and the family I was born into, are completely unaware that a decade ago, I was barely a shadow of my present self. It's been far from a smooth ride, and I carry many scars from that period.
Letting go of the people I once considered my 'friends', but were in reality just partners in substance abuse, was one of the toughest challenges. The moment I decided to stop using, they disappeared from my life.
19. Take The Money And Run?
I've got a pretty neat trick going at my job as a trauma surgery nurse—a nifty shortcut that's got my earnings close to what some doctors rake in. I've mastered the art of working efficiently, not excessively.
As for my colleagues and manager, they're none the wiser. My manager only clocks my hours cut-off but doesn't verify the check total—only the payroll folks know what I'm truly pocketing.
It's a bit tricky to explain what I do, though it's not illegal at any rate. We have a good 3,000 personnel on our payroll at the hospital. I'm categorized as a 'casual call' employee. What I do is step into the shifts of traveling nurses when they're away, and charge them a fee between $100 and $200 for taking over. They earn so well that this payoff doesn't bother them.
Being regular staff, they're entitled to double pay when they cover a trauma shift, as well as a bonus and several differentials. Now, as a casual employee, I get the advantage of a 15% differential, which other employees don't.
Then, thanks to my master's degree—despite handling the responsibilities of a regular RN, not what's typical for someone with my degree—adds to my pay scale. This whole package then doubles whenever a trauma shift lands in my hands.
The past year, I've stuck to roughly 25 hours of work weekly. Yet, I earn four times what my fellow nurses, slogging for 40 hours every week in the same role, make. Should they get wind of this, it might cause a crisis, with everyone wanting to opt for a part-time status and potentially changing the compensation dynamics for me.
So, the plan is to keep benefiting from this quietly for as long as I can.
20. Small Slip, Big Consequences
This is something I haven't shared with anyone, not even my therapist—my deepest regret from an incident that occurred over five years ago. It still shocks me to recall my actions and the fact that I was capable of doing such a thing.
There was a time when my girlfriend, who I had been with for five years, hinted at a possible break up. But a day later, she brushed it off, saying she was just upset, reassured me of her love, and implied that we should put that talk behind us.
We made love and in the heat of the moment, a worrying thought crossed my mind, "If she becomes pregnant, she won't leave". This was a terrible mistake.
The following morning, I surreptitiously put a morning-after pill in her coffee, somewhat justifying my actions to myself because she had always been clear about not wanting kids until after law school. However, to my surprise, she fell pregnant anyway. It felt like my world was falling apart.
She decided to have an abortion. I took the responsibility of taking care of everything—finances, emotional support, and any other kind of help she needed. We eventually parted ways, but the breakup had nothing to do with the unexpected pregnancy.
The guilt of my past actions hits me hard every time I contemplate on it, and the consequent results. I could use my youth and naivety as an excuse, but I was already a graduate and knew very well that my actions were illegal.
I'm fully conscious of the enormity of my deed, a fact I'm confronted with daily. I'd like to believe that I wasn't in my right mind, but the truth is—I was, and that's what scares me the most. If I could undo it all, I would. Despite enduring constant emotional, verbal and occasional physical abuse from her, I feel she didn't deserve to experience the trauma that I caused.
21. The Heart Wants What It Wants
During the COVID lockdown, I was so idle that I even created a fanatic account for Selena Gomez on Twitter, complete with an adorable anime profile picture. All my online pals believed I was their sweetheart. The humorous twist?
I actually have the appearance of a rugged truck driver, bearing similarities to a lumberjack or an oil rig worker. As someone who takes immense pride in his masculinity, I wonder what would happen if this secret ever got exposed...
22. Putting In The (Self) Work
I haven't been seeing a therapist, but not because I think it's useless or won't help me. I'm 25 years old and for over 16 years, I've worked with various therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists, digging deep into my thoughts and feelings. The issue is, my parents only approve of self-growth when they believe it's guided by a professional.
Over the last two years, living 8,000 km (5,000 miles) away from them and regularly journaling and reflecting on my emotions has led to more personal development than any session with their chosen doctors. So, I decided to trick them.
Only when I began misleadingly attributing my insights to "my therapist" did my parents take notice.
Once I started doing this, they couldn't stop lauding my efforts in self-improvement and how much I've progressed. Suddenly, they grasped concepts I had been attempting to convey for nearly ten years, simply because they thought it was advice from a professional and not my own.
No cost is associated with this ruse, but they'd undoubtedly flip if they ever discovered the truth.
23. Snitches Get Stitches
I was once classmates with twin brothers during my physics course, who were infamous for their disruptive and coarse behavior, leaning even into sociopathy. Upon finishing my school, their lives went downhill; they kept bouncing in and out of jail.
Their acts were abhorrent—one of them even landed in prison for attempting to end someone. They also once set fire to all the trees on a sacred site nearby my residence.
There was no doubt in my mind that they were the culprits. One of the brothers had stolen a roll of phosphorus from our school laboratory. The fascination with the substance had budded after a recent experiment during class. The investigation proved that the incendiary fire was sparked with phosphorus tape.
Filled with fear, yet resolved, I informed the principal. I shudder to think of the possible repercussions if the twins ever discovered that I was the whistleblower—even after the lapse of 25 years.
Luckily, their knowing is next to impossible and most of my days are spent alternating between two separate countries. So, even if they somehow cracked the truth, I'm quite doubtful they'd possess the cognitive skills to hunt me down.
The police were successful in linking them to the crime and they subsequently confessed—their excuse was chillingly simple; they wanted to witness the rate at which the fire would consume everything.
24. By The Seat Of Their Pants
This story took place while I was employed as a paramedic. We were en route to a call about a patient experiencing chest pains when I felt a sudden, overwhelming urge to pass gas. I quickly realized that there was no way I could hold it in. That's when everything went south.
To my dismay, my supposed-to-be-silent fart turned out quite explosive, staining my white work trousers. But we were on duty heading to a job, so there was no time for me to do anything about it.
During the entire mission, I made a conscious effort to angle myself so that nobody, including my coworkers, the patient, his wife, and son, along with the hospital staff later, would end up behind me. I even had my jacket wrapped around my waist, looking rather silly.
With these strategies in place, I managed to successfully keep my accident hidden. Despite it all working out in the end, it was indeed a challenging ordeal.
25. Cheating Hearts
I was once in a deep romantic relationship with a mature, married man and it was quite an amazing experience. We had been acquaintances for a few years and, despite his age which was in his 50s, he was still strikingly good-looking.
In comparison, I was then 32 years old. This man really knew how to take care of himself, especially when it came to being phenomenal behind closed doors. He would often surprise me with trips to various foreign countries and was always a perfect gentleman in every sense.
Now, I'm not advocating having intimate relations with married individuals, it's something I wouldn't consider doing in the future. In my defense though, this experience acted as a medium to cope up with the stress from the painfully toxic, on-and-off relationship I previously had with my ex-partner.
Now, his wife wasn't particularly likable and was rather emotionally manipulative, a real Karen if you will, but they're reportedly attending marriage therapy as of now. Did I mention he's a man of politics, too?
26. From Side Hustle To Main Gig
Not long ago, I got let go from one of my jobs. The reason? They discovered that I post adult content on a subscription-based internet platform. I explained to my husband that my dismissal was due to me asserting myself around the wrong individuals, an event that got me into trouble just the day prior.
The money earned from this side job footed the bill for my kids' Christmas presents. Even though I've lost this income, I have plans to keep going so I can recover that lost pay.
27. Take To The Grave
Back in the 90s, my dad stumbled upon a shocking secret—my grandpa had been unfaithful to my grandma. The mysterious woman behind this unfolding saga admitted to their four-decade long secret relationship, providing photos as evidence of their affair that started way back in the 50s.
Knowing my grandfather's hot temper in his younger days, my dad made a tough decision to shelter my grandma from this painful truth. But he did find a silver lining and turned it into usable leverage.
He discreetly laid down an ultimatum, warning grandpa that he'd expose the affair with those photos if he ever lost control of his temper again. Regrettably, my dad passed away before he could ever divulge this colossal secret to my grandma.
To this day, my grandparents remain together, and revealing the secret now would only wreak havoc in our family. The irony—my grandpa, now grappling with dementia, wouldn't have a single clue about the chaos his past actions could create.
28. Secret Shopper
Nearly two decades ago, when I was around nine, I unknowingly used my mother's credit card details to order some toys from an unknown site. Back then, I didn't realize the website was a blatant scam. My mom was taken aback when she noticed an unmade transaction of $500 on her card the next day. Things got scary after that...
Her bank officials suggested examining my computer, but my mom defended me. She asserted I was too young to understand the concepts of credit cards and online shopping. Coincidentally, she had traveled just a few days prior to this incident, and so, to this day, she thinks someone in Peru may have compromised her credit card details.
29. Secret Snacker
You know, for the first 13 years of my life, I had severe food intolerances that permitted me to only eat chicken, potatoes, rice, beans, and bread. And just to add to it, adding any flavor or spice simply wasn't an option. So, you can imagine when I attended any party or gathering, I had to stick to bringing my own simple snack of chips as that was the only thing I could safely consume.
As I grew up, though, things changed. I began to sample what the other kids were munching on. This curiosity even led me to secretly trying out prohibited foods from the supermarket. This continued for a while until my doctor officially confirmed that I'm not allergic to food anymore. Boy, I can tell you, I am lucky I dodged being caught, or else I would have had to face serious consequences!
30. Prom Crashers
When I was in my final year of high school, I attended prom with a bunch of pals. I'd purchased a solo ticket instead of a ticket for two. A friend of mine knew a guy who really wanted to attend our prom, but he wasn't allowed as he attended a different high school. So, I let him tag along and acted like he was my date. Luckily, no one bothered to inspect my ticket closely enough to see that it wasn't for a couple.
31. You Can’t Pray A Lie
My eleventh grade year was vexing—I had to pen a lengthy six-page essay on 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'. Tough work. During spring vacation, I discovered that my sibling had been given the same assignment a couple years earlier. With hopes high, I inquired if I could borrow her paper that secured her an impressive 91% grade. She agreed, but had one condition—that I never mention she was involved if questions arose.
Subsequently, I modified roughly 30 words to match my writing preference, refreshed the outdated MLA format to current standards (there had been slight tweaks in the last two years), and relocated it to a fresh document (an attempt to avoid any suspicion via metadata). Ultimately, I scored a high-flying 99% and ended up topping the class. To date, my sister insists I'm indebted to her for her valuable help.
32. Unexpected Consequences
Twelve months back, my greatest fear was being discovered as a bi. For 36 straight years, I played the role of a straight husband and father. Suppressing this aspect of myself did more harm than good. In March, I finally revealed my secret to my partner of 16 years. The reaction took me off-guard—this disclosure further damaged my already shaky marriage. While I ended up losing my wife in this process, no one else left my side.
My daughters, my father, mother and everyone significant in my life showed understanding and acceptance. Now, I have a new partner who loves me exactly as I am. I managed to retain my house and I share parenting duties for our lovely daughters. I've never felt happier. This path may not suit everyone, but honesty can often lead to a healthier state of being.
33. Savage
In general, I was cordial with my colleagues, but there was this one individual who I just couldn't see eye to eye with. To say that I disliked her wouldn't quite cut it. Once, she carelessly left her marriage band on her office desk. What transpired next was honestly quite horrible on my part.
Stumbling upon the ring, I decided to pawn it off for its gold value. Regrettably, the pawnbroker only handed me a disappointing $60 for it.
34. Which Witch Is Which
My mother-in-law is a devout Christian and firmly against LGBTQ+ matters. She takes immense pride in being linked to a judge from the Salem witch trials. As for me, I'm her son's spouse and they're unaware that I identify as bi, lean towards agnosticism, and practice witchcraft.
My husband, however, is completely aware and supportive of all this but his mom is in the dark. I even join her at Bible study occasionally—it's a great place to get all the latest chatter and make connections.
35. All In The Family
So last Christmas, I discovered something surprising: my older sister and I are, technically, half-sisters. It turns out my sister's biological dad and my mom had a brief relationship that resulted in a pregnancy, but things didn't pan out. That bio-dad is no longer with us. I chose not to dive into details about him or how he passed, just in case it stirred up any painful memories for mom.
Mom raised my sister by herself. In the '80s, they lived at my grandma's house and she was a single mother. Fast forward to the '90s, she met and truly bonded with my dad. They got married, bought a new house, and along came me. But mom has always insisted I never refer to my sister as my half-sister and act as though all this family history doesn't really matter. Whenever anyone questions the 10-year age difference between my sister and me, I simply reply, "it's a long story".
36. Adult-ish
It seems as though I’m playing dress-up as an adult each day, but the truth is, I never really feel like a grown-up. I labor away for 40 to 50 hours every week in a high-speed setting at a multinational company.
People look to me for solutions constantly, I possess an automobile, and I have my own dwelling. Folks often say things like, "You really have your life in order" and "You're so dependable". But what they don't see is something different.
Just like any other established adult, I have my share of bills and responsibilities. However, it seems like I'm just pretending. The hard truth? Most of the time, I genuinely don't know what I'm doing. I have to use Google to find solutions for everything.
The worst part? I am utterly clumsy when engaging in conversations with other people. It’s like I'm a child at heart, masquerading through a world of genuine adults.
37. An Unbreakable Bond
In 2013, during my initial college term, an 8:30am anthropology class wasn't exactly my speed of the day. The same clearly applied to a girl who sat next to me. We were both equally bleary-eyed and formed an unspoken alliance; birds of a feather flocking together in mutual sleep deprivation.
Inevitably, shared meals after class nurtured our growing bond. But being staunchly religious, we perceived ordinary attraction as somehow sinful. This caused a perpetual undercurrent of awkwardness between us, even as we paired up for class interviews.
Fast forward to the completion of my part of the interview project. The girl's required more coordination as we had to journey two hours to interview her grandfather in a scenic mountain town. I was carless, so she drove. Months of repressed feelings made the ride a bit unsettling.
After our work was done, we dined at a local pub and decided to explore the adjacent forest as the evening descended. It was so different from our usual desert home with just a scattering of palm trees; an enchanting atmosphere of pure tranquility without the habitual city clamor and toxic car fumes.
An innocent brush against each other turned into a tacit flirtation. We chose to temporarily set aside our spiritual anxieties and just have fun in the moment.
Though I was no stranger to intimate activity, my previous experiences were fraught with regrettable decisions, prodding me to cling to my faith even more. She was inexperienced despite being slightly older. The encounters felt like a promise of an eternal bond.
However, the subsequent drive home was fraught with awkward silence, stemming from a completely new set of reasons. I used the quiet ride to contemplate confessing my love for her. Regrettably, I chickened out at the last moment.
Monday was supposed to be the day I'd confess, but she didn't show up. She missed the entire week, and my repeated attempts at communication went unanswered. When she didn't show up the next week, I approached our professor who broke the devastating news: she had been in a tragic car accident that Sunday and hadn't survived.
It was a shock. It felt unreal.
Despite knowing little about her family apart from her grandfather, I sought them out. I found her brother and he shared that she'd been genuinely happy the days before the tragedy. However, a drunk driver ended her newfound joy abruptly.
The news shattered me. I briefly stopped functioning and flunked most of my courses that term. My life felt like it was unraveling. My friends and family remained mostly unaware of the cause of my grief.
In the aftermath, dating became an emotional challenge, triggering feelings of guilt as my heart was still tethered to her. I lost faith in any divine plan, unable to reconcile her untimely end because of a reckless driver's action.
Eventually, I met someone who helped me deal with the lingering grief, openly embracing each other's pasts. My view on life and the inevitability of death matured, and overall, I'm in a healthier place now.
38. Sometimes They Start Young
Once I unintentionally walked out of a supermarket with a bag of grated cheese. I was heavily pregnant at the time and I was shopping with my two-year-old son. He was seated in the cart, and I remember giving him the cheese bag to keep him occupied. Somehow, it ended up under him without me noticing. It was only when I was loading my shopping bags and strapping him into his car seat that I spotted the unintended loot.
For a brief moment, I thought about going back in to settle the bill for it. But then, I decided to be okay with feeling like a small-time bandit. The very thought of returning in my exhausted state seemed too much to bear. Today, sixteen years later, I have no trouble sleeping. It makes me understand why my mom NEVER took us kids shopping. After all, she had seven of us! It might have been her only escape for some peace and quiet.
39. Nightmare Come True
This story takes place back when I was in 8th grade while we were taking standardized tests, the STAAR test, to be specific. Although I'm already a shy kid, I also have selective mutism, which made it impossible to raise my hand in class. The trouble started when, out of nowhere, I really needed to use the bathroom. I glanced at the clock, there were 20 minutes remaining before the bell was set to ring. I believed I could hold it in. Unfortunately, I was wrong.
Unexpectedly, I found myself unable to control my bladder. I had to sit there, stuck in my seat, uncomfortably wet and hoping no one noticed the awkward situation. Once the bell rang, everyone filed out, but there was this one girl I didn't know well. She stayed and tried to persuade me to leave. I suspect she realized what had happened and wanted to ridicule me.
The moment the room was empty, my teacher approached me, noticing something was amiss. Overwhelmed, I broke down in tears, confessing that I'd had an accident. My considerate teacher left to get assistance from two others. They stood guard in the hallway, shielding me from prying eyes as I made my way to the office in my damp jeans.
The office provided a fresh pair of pants and I was then able to return home. I want to express my gratitude towards those caring teachers. I am fully aware that not all educators would have gone the extra mile to prevent their students from potential humiliation and mockery, protecting me from the unpleasant consequences of my accidental mishap.
40. Potluck Hack
Each time I'm preparing food for others or contributing a dish to a shared meal, I add a bit over twice the suggested salt quantity from the recipes. Because of this, I rarely have any leftovers to take back home—every bit of my dish gets eaten! My little secret ingredient? Salt. But don't tell my health-focused friends or else I'll get disapproving looks.
41. Well, That Was Unexpected
During the time my sister was dealing with a serious mental health problem, she chose to spill all my secrets to our friends and family. She was angry at my attempts to persuade her to get help and thought that by revealing my secrets, she'd redirect the focus on her. Her hope seemed to be that if she was sinking, I'd sink along with her.
She revealed a long list of past mistakes and regrets I would absolutely redo if I could turn back time. Although nothing I did was illegal, some might see it as wrong. It was deeply private business that I never wanted made public. But now, everyone’s in the know! It led to discussions with our family that I never meant to have.
I invited our family to ask me anything they wanted to clarify, but nobody was interested. So, my sister’s scheme completely backfired.
Interestingly, instead of facing backlash, I received warmth and support, while my sister ended up being more or less cut off by most of our family. They deemed her actions as self-righteous and reprehensible. The discovery didn't break me, it set me free.
42. Time To Embrace Neurodiversity
I'm living with autism, and my emotions are incredibly intense. I have some "hobbies" which I've become near-expert at but I rarely talk about it. I often feel frustrated with the way my mind works because it's pushed so many people away. My mom has always told me she's grateful she and my dad raised me, because they believe anyone else might not have been able to cope.
They're always there for me, loving me not in spite of my difficulties but because of them. They’ve been with me during my bouts of overwhelming emotions and sensory overload. But honestly, sometimes I just wish I was more typical. I don't want a high IQ or to be labelled as a "genius". I just have a neurological abnormality that makes me appear to be a genius when taking an IQ test.
In social situations without my medication, I've been labelled as odd, a lousy friend, and narcissistic because I can't help but focus on my special "hobbies". Sometimes, in my darker moments, I might say I have Borderline Personality Disorder. I prefer that assumption because it implies there's a solution.
It's tough to accept that this is truly who I am and sometimes it makes me feel broken. Yet there have been those who love me for my uniqueness and peculiarities, aside from my mom. My spouse and her daughter are among them. Somehow, they find charm in my quirks. And truthfully, they're incredible. I just don't want to cause them any discomfort or embarrassment.
43. The Bad Old Days
When I was around six or seven, back in the 90s, my sleep was interrupted one morning by my mom. She told me two classmates had appeared at our doorstep with their mothers. Apparently, they confessed to their moms about our teacher behaving improperly with them, and they intended to have a talk with all the classmates before reporting to the police.
That very evening, my mom asked me whether our teacher had ever acted inappropriately with me. I reassured her that hadn't occurred. I can still remember the intense relief wash over her, erasing her sheer terror. When it was time to provide my statement to the police, my dad was with me. Even then, I insisted nothing had happened. The truth is, I lied. I was petrified at the thought of creating trouble and upsetting my folks.
Eventually, the case proceeded to court but the teacher was acquitted due to lack of evidence. Recall, this was a different era where children's accounts weren't as readily accepted. For 27 years, I've lived harboring this secret, constantly trying to suppress these dreadful memories.
Before these allegations came to light, this teacher suggested taking me and two other girls for a weekend trip to a wildlife park. Thankfully, my mom declined. Although my recollections are a bit hazy, I keep asking myself if my testimony could have been a turning point. Did my silence enable him to escape imprisonment? The idea that he might have targeted others because I kept quiet terrifies me.
44. A Very Difficult Decision
When I was a teen mom at 17, already with a one-year-old child, I found myself expecting my second baby. Out of fear and concern for my future, I decided that adoption was the best option. After his birth, I didn't even get the chance to see my baby boy. I spent a tear-filled fortnight following his birth. During those two weeks, I came to a heart-wrenching conclusion—I had to take him back.
With a heavy heart, I turned up on the adoptive mother's doorstep. It was unbearably hard to witness her devastation. Although her sorrow was poignant, I bore the heaviness of my own heartache as well.
Even if it makes me seem self-centered, this child was a part of me, and I couldn't picture him not being in my life. However, when I returned home, my mother expelled me, leaving my belongings scattered on the lawn.
Ultimately, I pulled myself together, working tirelessly for 80 hours per week to provide for my little ones. The struggle made me forge my own path and shaped my life. My son, now a grown man of 23, is a wonderful person.
Despite my trials, I don't regret this path one bit, but I live in constant anxiety that my children might discover the truth. I wish to shield them from this fact forever, particularly my son. I fear he might misunderstand my actions and believe that I did not want him.
45. Get Thee To Therapy
There's a sizeable hiatus in my resume and the cause is pretty complex. My wife and I went through a severe crisis that resulted in both of us being hospitalized for a few weeks. I'm not sure if it would devastate our existence if this information became widely known, but it would definitely create issues.
After the initial month when we started addressing our mental health, our relatives began reverting back to thinking "If I can't physically see your mental illness, it's not a real illness".
46. The Cat’s Out Of The Bag
When I was about five years old, I often encouraged our house cat to pester my baby sister while she was in her walker. Truth be told, I wasn't very fond of my sister back then, and I thought the cat might, in a way, take her off my hands.
In the end, all that happened was our cat would swipe playfully at her little feet. This resulted in my parents deciding to give the cat away to one of their friends.
47. Misplacing The Blame
Back in my high school days, I pulled a pretty thoughtless prank. I had too much to drink one time and sneakily relieved myself in a buddy's car. Let's say the aftermath was anything but pleasant.
The whole thing led him to mistakenly believe it was his girlfriend who was responsible. This misunderstanding was so persuasive, he ended their relationship over it.
.Sources: Reddit, , ,
