Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Families.
Grandma And Glitter
For as long as I can remember I have loved glitter. I mean heck why not? A little sparkle just adds a smile to things in my opinion and I have been glistening up things for years. Whenever I get my nails done in a salon I pick a pretty neutral color then have the manicurist top it off with some twinkle and it just pops! I love glimmer for formal wear and complimentary pieces to add in to my wardrobe. It is just so much fun to me and especially so during the Christmas holiday season. When everyone else is complaining about glitter all over the floor and carpet from ornaments, tinsel, wrappings and whatnot, I just buzz around the house humming while I vacuum. Glitter just never completely cleans up and I always giggle to myself thinking it is just completely awesome!
By Marilyn Glover5 years ago in Families
What If I’m the Grinch of the Group?
The holidays can be a difficult time to endure in normal circumstances. Between the global pandemic, harsh political climate, and the continuation of racial injustice towards minorities and indigenous peoples, the holidays might seem unbearable and not worth going through this year. I want to encourage you that, if you’re feeling this way, you are not alone and you are not crazy. Here are five things you can try to help you get through the season without sacrificing your health.
By Sara Sublette5 years ago in Families
From hiding to affirmation
Picture this, you are growing up in south west Sydney were being different is not only frowned upon but also were it is an excuse to become a victim to crime and various assaults. Now picture this young teenager is walking through a park in Liverpool listening to his music, Eminem playing through his headphones. On his face are tears running down past his black eye which was given to him a few hours prior by his father, this was done as a way to "make a man out of him". However this teenager has an issue he has known since he was 5 years old that he should not have been born a male. This is an issue issue that plays with his mind every second of the day. Constant thoughts in his mind are "why am I a female, I was born male surely this can’t be right”, “why am I not attracted to males if I am really a female I must like men right”, “how do I tell mum and dad".
By Rebecca Bornello5 years ago in Families
Who Am I
I am not sure who really could relate to this but I do want to share my store. When I was 17 years old I graduated high school and got pregnant, I really did not have time to figure out what I wanted in life or who I was going to become. At 18 I gave had my baby, right there I became mom, I did not think anything else about it. I had it in my mind that I was going to be the best mom even though I was young, I would do anything for my baby.
By Daisy Rodriguez5 years ago in Families
Teen Parenthood
"You're having a baby? Congratulations! You two are going to be such great parents." I stared at this girl, barely a classmate to me, someone I barely knew well enough to greet in passing when we noticed each other in the hallways. What did she know? How could she say that? Did she know something I didn't? No, it was most definitely a hollow, empty compliment thrown to a couple of teenagers that had messed up. I was being pitied by a stranger. Steeling myself, I bared my clenched teeth into what I hoped resembled a smile and tried to ignore the hot iron bar welling up in my chest.
By David Leeson5 years ago in Families
Say Goodbye
Christina, Christina where have you gone? I've gone to my heaven and I'm dancing along. I died in my sleep just like we all wish, although I was a bit young and never got to live at the beach. My life went well when I was on earth, my family, husband and good friends made it all the worth and I wish it didn't have to end. I needed a bit more time to do some more things, but I did get in a lot as short as its been.
By Maryanne O'Keeffe Potter5 years ago in Families
Pure : The American Dream
Chapter 1: The beginning It had been bittersweet leaving my family behind. We were about to go to America and not just to America but to New York. I had heard so many stories about America. It was the land of the free and the home of the brave. I could have the chance to become anyone I dreamed of becoming. As the taxi approached the airport the nervousness started to settle into my stomach as if I was about to throw up. I looked up at my mum. In my eyes she was the true definition of beauty and brains. Long curly hair that perfectly shaped her beautiful milk chocolate skin, slim body that definitely had snapped back after she had birthed me. She had this exotic look to her as if she was mixed with all types of ethnicity.My mother was not affectionate at all. I never understood why but in my eyes she was a Queen. A Queen that unfortunately didn’t know her worth. Instead of voicing my nervousness, I continued to look out the window of the taxi and didn’t even realize the taxi had came to a halt. We were going to America so my mother could be with her boyfriend. It was a drastic and very hard decision for her. For her to pack us up from all we have know our lives and follow a man she deep down inside new didn’t even deserve her on her worst day.As we walked through the airport, fear started to dawn on me. What if he kicks us out? What if he beat her like he did so many times before? I started to panic.” This was not a good idea” I thought frantically. “Mom, do we really have to move to America. What about Ma and Pa and all our family” I exclaimed. My eyes started to brim over with tears. My eyesight started to get so blurry.I didn’t even notice the huge suitcase they just put on top of my Porcelain doll, that my mother had just placed on the conveyor belt. I looked at my mum’s face as she told be to “be quiet and to hurry up”. I could see she was bothered but i guess the love she had for her boyfriend, gave her the motivation she needed to walk through the last metal dector. As we gathered our personal belongings, I noticed my porcelain doll coming through. I loved Sarah so much. My mom had bought her and had her painted to look just like me. As I picked her up and went to hug her, I noticed a huge crack from the top of her hair to her left ear. “Mom they broke Sarah!” I screamed. At this age, to me Sarah was pretty much dead. Her face was mutilated by the stupid security who threw a suitcase on her face. My mother looked at me and told me blankly to put her in the trash next to the x-ray machine.”But Mum!” I cried. “You can’t take that broken glass on the plane” she replied. I looked at her in disbelief. I slowly put Sarah in the trash as tears overflowed on my face. “ Sorry little girl” said a big heavy set bald security officer as he smiled and shrugged his shoulders. I looked at him through my tears and said “ok” almost so quiet that if the words hadn’t came out of my mouth, I wouldn’t even of heard it. We walked briskly to the plane as I cried over the pain of losing my favorite toy ever. “Sit”, my mum said abruptly as she interrupted my memories of when I first received Sarah. I sat down in the middle seat and looked out the window at the Tarmac. The plane started to slowly take off. As we climbed higher and higher into the sky. I looked down at my home, my country.I prayed for a safe arrival and that maybe just maybe my mum could find me another Sarah. Little did I know the beginning of the my life’s destruction was but only 22 hours away.
By Nicole Joy5 years ago in Families
Midnight
The wind came rushing towards me in a cold hard force, nearly knocking me off my feet. I was alone, completely alone. The grass was shining with the sun, but I did not feel the warmth that the sun always provides. I only felt the cold, damp wind around me. I didn’t know where I was, but it felt wrong to be standing here alone. My eyes were opened but I couldn't see where I was. it was like a sheet was placed on me and I couldn't get it off to see.
By Dana Bergstrasser5 years ago in Families
Just a Dog:
For part 1 and part 2. A little more about dad At 28, my father broke his back while hunting. He and a friend were on horseback riding up a small steep draw in the hills near our home. The friend’s horse stopped when he reached the top of the hill and my father’s horse, who was behind the friend’s horse, lost balance on the steep incline and rolled over backward on top of my dad as they both rolled down the hill, breaking his back. He told me that the only thing that went through his head while rolling down the hill was to protect the new rifle he had just bought.
By Frank Shaw5 years ago in Families
