Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Families.
The Last Divination
I. My grandfather, before he was hit by a truck, used to tell me stories about our ancestors in the mountains. For millennia, he claimed, they raised sheep in the same valleys, drank water from the same wells, and practiced the same traditions. It was, according to him, an unforgiving life: sometimes it rained until their huts were swept away, or their sheep were devoured by wolves. But as there was hardly anything to take from these poor shepherds and farmers—and because the mountains were considered to be impassable—they were rarely visited by armies.
By Willa Chernov5 years ago in Families
Hope Restored
Harvey was worried. Taking stock of his situation he was running out of food. He had four teenage boys, his brother and himself to feed, and as a single father there is only so much money to go around. Checking his bank account, he had approximately $25 to live on for the next few weeks and in order to get out to his customers in the remote places they sometimes lived (to service their receivers) he would need to fill his fuel tank before he got paid again (which would be after the holidays and the start of the new year.) To top it off, Harvey was not able to get his boys more than one gift each for Christmas this year. He had also missed out on signing up for the local program that ensures needy children get a better Christmas. He had heard about it too late and he was too busy taking care of things for his household and at work to be able to apply on time.
By G. R. Reed5 years ago in Families
Have You Thought of Foundational Things that You would Want to Give Your Children?
If you asked many in the age bracket of 45 and above, without a doubt, 40% (even much research confirms that if you google) might say they have regrets in life. They might say that they had done a few things differently or they have had a mentor.
By Ganesh Kuduva5 years ago in Families
Some Kids
Jimmy was a child with some anger issues and other behavioural problems. In the first grade, I remember him being the only kid in class that threw tantrums and beat on his desk with his fists. The teachers pretended not to notice. If he ever caught us snickering at his fits, he’d laugh and beat on the desk harder, reveling in the attention.
By Grant Whitehurst5 years ago in Families
Whispers of Cloves
“Phara, why can’t you be normal? Like everyone else?” What did that even mean? I’d usually press for clarification when faced with such statements. But not now. Not anymore. The responses never seemed satisfying. If anything, they left me even more confused about who I am and who I am meant to be?
By Pascale Joseph5 years ago in Families
How To Be Invisible
Naomi tapped on Bertie’s bobble hat. “Look Bertie...” she said, pointing to a little black book under her arm. The young boy squinted, trying to make out the silver letters against the black fabric. “What is it?” He couldn’t tell what it meant, but he had a feeling that something good was going to happen. His elder sister never smiled unless she was getting something.
By Chloe Gilholy5 years ago in Families
Brown Girl Waiting
This Brown girl is waiting waiting for something that she never knew was possible she has a name but does that really matter? She has an age but does that matter either? This brown girl has been waiting for some thing that she will find that she never knew she needed. This brown girl her father passed away. She was only four years old, and from that time on this brown girl has had to live life without her father.
By Rasheeda Hampton-Johnson5 years ago in Families
How I got to Spend Christmas in the Snow in California
It was 1954, the war was over and people were finally starting to have fun again. I was only 6 and was unaware of the war time that my grandfather died in. I only saw him in pictures. He was a big strong man. Before the war he was a lumberJack. He built the house we lived in. My dad was his only child and my grandma died just a couple of years after him. Dad says she died the day the telegram arrived telling us that dad died. I never got to meet her either. My moms parents would come to visit every summer, when the weather was bearable, as grandpa would say. They lived in the lower 48, in the state of California. He always says he will take me to visit one day. But my mom said not until I was 16. That seemed like a lifetime at the time. We lived in a little town of Fairbanks Alaska. It was wild there. Dad would take me sometimes on the weekends to pan for gold. Once I found my own nugget. It was small, but still enough for me to open my own bank account. Got $36 in it too. I felt so rich, but dad said I could save it for when I go to California.
By Connie Sahlin5 years ago in Families
