Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Families.
Little Black Book.
I want to ask you, what do you do when things are simply provided? Do you, a, accept and stay behind the precarious line of not asking the questions you want to, or b, give into what is your first reaction, questioning why and how, never stopping to realize that you can simply just accept and things will be so much easier. And one more question, why is our first reaction to make things harder for ourselves? Maybe because we as humans have always had to fight. Never a dull moment. We simply can’t turn the other way with what we have. It isn’t enough.
By Hallie Richardson5 years ago in Families
The Day the Music Died
Mamaw and I shared a love of music as far back as I remember. She loved old country, golden oldies, and the music of the bygone eras. I loved all the genres especially classical. I started playing the violin because of her and I will be forever grateful. Music was a type of life force for us and now I have to find my way without her. A few weeks ago, I came home from school on a Friday expecting to go straight to violin practice. I entered the back door and threw my book bag on the floor. I fell over taking off my shoes on the mat in an effort to get my afternoon snack. Mom had messaged me earlier saying she made my favorite, peach cobbler! The smell had filled the whole house and I was salivating.
By Laura (Mea) Carlozzi 5 years ago in Families
Alice Goes to School
From a very young age Alice had always wanted to go to university. Alice lived on a farm with her parents, two older brothers, and two younger sisters. She was always known as the “middle child”. Although Alice was only 9 years of age, she had dreams of going places and one of them was to university. She might be in grade 4, but she knew she wanted to leave the farm and head to the city to see and do things she couldn’t do on the farm. She dreamed of becoming a fashion designer. After school, you would often find Alice cutting out patterns and making clothes for her barbie dolls and her sisters' barbie dolls. Even the Ken doll would get a new set of clothes occasionally. They had fur coats made from rabbit fur, acid-washed jeans, hippie vests, they were a very classy fashion dressed bunch of barbie dolls to say the least.
By Merle Lee Ann's Kitchen5 years ago in Families
Gretchen
Gretchen saved my life. This old woman of four foot nine came into my world and turned it upside down and inside out in the blink of an eye. It was solely because of her that I was able to walk across the stage to receive my business degree in front of my adoring family.
By Syerra Milliman5 years ago in Families
In Memory of My Grandmother
Stephany struggled to put the memorial flowers in the back of the rental as the rain poured down heavily around her. She couldn’t leave that place without taking something with her because soon they would shut the lid to her grandmother’s casket. She wondered what would happen to the flowers and grew angry at the thought of leaving them behind.
By Lore S. Crown 5 years ago in Families
The Pointing Picture
As far as funerals go, this one could have been worse, Jatoun thought to herself. Aunt Benny didn’t scream and holler like she had at all the funerals since Jatoun was an itty bitty girl. Mommy did all the cooking this time so at least the repast food wasn’t burnt and bland like when Aunt Cherise makes it. Mommy and Benny joked that their baby sister’s food tasted like free lunch. The Vernon Family Funeral Home had been operating since the late 1800s and had been passed down from father to son for 7 generations. Grandaddy hadn’t had any boys and maintained a warm and protective distance from his daughters. With no sons to take over, he hoped that Mommy being the oldest would do what was necessary to assume leadership. No one would have known that Mommy was his favorite unless they paid close attention while he was alive. Aunt Benny knew. That’s probably why she didn’t lay on the casket with a wail and flail during the burial.
By Rish De Terra5 years ago in Families
A Julius Journey
This is a story about an old man named Julius August, a man that relished long hikes through the profound depths of the Amazon alone within its peace. Julius embraced the clashing sounds of waterfalls, and watching it cascading down the Amazonian’s marvelous height. He enjoyed the beauty of nature so much that he sold his house, and had a tiny home built away far from all things that he was used to; Julius only brought items that mattered most… items such as books, nature equipment and two very important boxes that he as not open since he was a young chap. He built his tiny oasis on the spot that his father and mother took him camping to every year, allowing Julius to experience natural serenity at a young age.
By Author The Poet B.GKL5 years ago in Families
To Nana and Papa
When I was in elementary school, I learned to write the alphabet. I was so impressed with my writing that when my grandparents came to visit, I showed them my work in my writing tablet. My grandmother said, “If you write the alphabet every day, I’ll give you 50 cents.” She had a deal.👍🏽
By Christine Smith5 years ago in Families
Grandpa's Old Barn
Grandpa’s Old Barn The old red barn was one of their favorite places to play and explore. Something new surfaced every time they spent an afternoon in the loft. They often found themselves playing pirates or gladiators or jet pilots. Fantasies sparked by the things Grandpa had left behind. Swords, chain mail, armor, and hand-made fighter planes were among the unique curiosities he had amassed during his life. Each item was carefully selected for preservation during his later days when he most tightly embraced minimizing and became one of the new band of stoics. Grandma thought the old barn was weak and dangerous as it leaned a bit east from long winters enduring westerly winds, but she couldn't keep them out of the loft.
By Thomas Durbin5 years ago in Families
