Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Families.
The Courtyard
My hand reaches for the wand that hangs down the side of the blinds. Grabbing and pushing the stick each panel of the covering slides overlapping one another until the way is opened to the world outside the glass doors. Vivid colors start to come into focus. Blinking I adjust my eyes to the light. I open them again and beautiful hues of blues and tints of green with rays of light are complemented by the shades of browns, reds, and yellows that make up the trees from the court yard. Plants that grow on the ground bring all of the colors to full circle. As I look up into the tree there is a nest far up in the branches, then I see something move. I watch as the animal comes into view. At first it is just a streak of greyish brown, but then I can start to see the shape form into a squirrel. It has a fluffy tale with its agile little body. It scurries further down the branch. I need to take the shot on a camera. It is a good thing I brought my phone out with me to the deck. I love to take pictures in nature. It helps me remember the feelings I have as I see the scenes.
By Trycia Lino6 years ago in Families
A tree I never knew I needed
A tree that sat outside of my window holds many stories throughout my childhood. I have been living in this house for about 20 years now which is 90% of my life. This tree has been alive and standing ever since I have been living in my room. In a strange way, this tree has given me security and awareness. From the branches waving when it was windy and depending on how hard they blew. If there is a storm near. To my dog jumping in the bathtub when she was scared. When the leaves fell, I knew not only was the time of the year was changing, but time of school was changing to certain yearly personal daily habits as well.
By Johnny Fentry Jr.6 years ago in Families
Short Notice
It all started on a hot Summer day in GreensBoro, NC when little Jameek noticed that something large came in the mail. When Jameek opened the mail, it was a huge colorful guitar. He asked his grandmother, “what’s this that we received in the mail”? She replied “I don’t know son. You tell me”. So little Jameek filled with excitement noticed it had his name on the wrapper the Guitar came in. He said” Grandma Grandma the Guitar is for me, what do I do? His Grandmother advised him to wait for his Grandfather to come in from the yard. At exactly 4:59pm his grandfather came in & was excited to see his grandson holding such a large instrument. Little Jameek begged his poppa to help him set up his guitar. On the first day of school he brought his guitar and showed it off to his classmates & friends, they loved the color. It was red with gold trimming and it had a silver shine to it. Very shiny as the kids would say.
By Eddie Johnson6 years ago in Families
Warning: Pandemic May Include Side Effects
This pandemic killed my mother. No, she didn’t have the coronavirus, but I do believe the stress and loneliness of isolation killed her. She had pulmonary fibrosis, chronic pneumonia, and a smorgasbord of other health issues including a previous bout with stage four cancer and a baker’s dozen back surgeries. Following the death of her husband, she struggled to adapt to living alone for the first time in her life. The truth is she was sad and dying long before any lockdowns were sanctioned, but my grieving heart wants something to blame. Global chaos and a national emergency seem like as good of excuses as any. I believe the isolation was just too much when combined with the uncertainty of being able to hold her tribe again.
By Jodi George-Wilkinson6 years ago in Families
Piece of Mind
This quarantine is ridiculous. Absolutely necessary but I've had enough. Yes, I totally understand how this virus is potentially dangerous, is in fact but I'm so done with attempting to be an adult with how not very well at all my family and I are dealing with each other. My thirteen year old autistic daughter is handling this whole thing better than the four grown ups that live her. It probably helps that she's been begging me to home school since she learned how to speak so this whole thing is, like, the best thing ever to happen in her whole entire universe and she's praying hard everyday that it doesn't change.
By Jacqueline Courtney Rios6 years ago in Families
Cries
Listening to your cries was the hardest thing I knew, knowing I couldn't help you feel better..knowing I didn't understand what you were thinking. Often times I walked away when all you needed was comfort, and now I understand when it's too late because I'm dealing with it all now too. No one understands how I feel, what I am thinking and it's frustrating.
By Brea McDade6 years ago in Families
Not Right now, is okay
She was gorgeous. If gorgeousness was packaged, she was the type you had to order from a special organic brand which would be mailed to you in 4 – 5 business days. Those in the village she lived in were lucky to catch so much as a glimpse of her walking past. Her name was Usiku.
By Melanie Munda6 years ago in Families
The Little Things
She had sat alone for what seemed like hours. Anyone else might have long become lonely, but for her, time spent alone was better than time spent with people. People always stared with long, pitiful faces, and ruined her meditative state of numbness.
By Mary Parker6 years ago in Families
War Born, War Sworn
Our mom had a way of shooting a person dead with her words. Like an automated gun, she could fire off insults with an effortless speed that needed no guided target. Her enemies' emotional being would be so riddled with holes; it wouldn't matter if any arteries were hit. The damage alone was death.
By D.S. Walls6 years ago in Families
