immediate family
Blood makes you related, loyalty makes you family.
Silver and Snow. Runner-Up in Tales of Hearth Challenge.
On the first snow of the season, our village gathers beneath the great evergreen. Breath rises in ghostly wisps as we prepare for the ceremony of light, a tradition passed down since our ancestors, the Icelers founded Icelyn. Banished from their homeland, the Icelers followed the stars deep into the Glaciershade Mountains. Here, under the glow of the northern lights, they built a home rooted in love and magic.
By Emmie Falboabout a year ago in Families
Solid Walls
In the movies, December in England is beautiful. The sharp edges of dry stone walls built by men as hard as the stones that made them and tended by sons and grandsons and great grandsons as precisely fitted to the niches of generational inheritance as those same stones, are softened by gently undulating mounds of clean, fresh snow, smoothing over the fissures, an absolution in white. Cottages as lived in as the most comfortable jumper in your wardrobe chuff smoke from chimneys that might, once upon a time, have hidden a priest or two from discovery, and even in the cities, sky-strung fairy lights dance with falling flakes of wistful wonder, sprinkling the wool coat clad pedestrians as they make their way in pairs and laughing groups down streets peopled just heavily enough to saturate the cobbles with cheer, but never so much as to impede any who might wish to spin spontaneously in circles, scarf flying and snowflakes falling into a mouth opened to wonder at the bounty of love. In the movies, December in England tastes like warm cinnamoned pastry and cream, and the English perform a ritualistic battle with their cynicism, which they will win, of course, to suspend their disbelief for a few precious days as the light creeps imperceptibly back into the mid-afternoon sky, and for that interval in time, they will experience the transcendence of peace on earth and good will to all mankind. Even the French. Maybe not the French. It’s never featured in the movies.
By Hannah Mooreabout a year ago in Families
Surviving Winter ❄️
I’d survived the coldest winter ever. I don’t think anybody is ready to hear my story yet, but here goes. I Ann Rice was have hostile problems with my mom when she screamed me out of the house and said don’t come back then! Initially I’d felt free from her babying me, at the same time I’d felt like I was enraged with anger regarding me needing a break! It’s the middle of winter and I found out how quickly people desert you and isolate you, to leave you hanging. I’d felt very hurt and I don’t justify her answer. Now that I see the pain and heartache I put her through I don’t question anything else. I also felt like I needed to do independent stuff. Becoming more responsible I was on my own trying to find shelter. Initially I knew I was in for hard ride! So I took a deep breath and put my hood on and prayed that someone was kind and caring enough to let me in their home. As times were tough I don’t think anyone was willing to be so kind because of safety precautions. Nowadays you don’t let anyone in because you do know what their intentions may be. And plus I shall always remember I’m a complete stranger to them I tried the first house on the end! I rang the door bell 🔔 . Who is this? Me outta ignorance said i need help! The lady at the door said this isn’t your neighborhood go back home and slammed the door! After shutting the door hearing her voice through the door still said aloud, “I’m calling the police!” For one thing i was in need. For another I was not trying to add to anymore of my problems problems. It was a very snowy day that had progressed from a dark snowy night. Day two out on my own having been intimidated by go to jail I ran for miles to I believe was the next town. And on the way there I’d hid out because I’d dodged the police who the lady who had sent them to me. They were looking didn’t know it was me and drove right past me. I was making a break onto the train to the next and nearest town to find shelter for rest 🚿 and some food 🍱 to eat, and caring things too! I ended up at the police station and Thank God they provided me with a home in a facility/ shelter that young adults just like myself lived in. It was supported by those presently living in the Community! So I was given a Choice if I want to stay or find some other place like an orphan on my own? So I chose to stay. I d felt like it was the best option for me to prove to my mother in all actuality what I look like being responsible for me and just being responsible in general. All because it was well known for a far long time that laziness is my name and I’m not being effective enough. So staying in this care facility will help me learn to take care of myself personally and spiritually. I truly believe if you gave a downed about yourself you will be looked upon as being down through other peoples eyes. I met a lady named Margaret at the front desk at the youth facility: and she asked me how long I plan on staying there at the facility. I said 5 good years so I get it. She said about a year maybe but 5 years that’s wayyyyy to long. I knew what I was in for! And I couldn’t help but hunger for learning how to care for myself, because I look around and see as people age what is possible to do is a burden to all of us. So I cleaned up my lunch 🥙 off the table and went to my room to rake my shower,when I hear my name get called across the room it was the head specialist for the facility!!!!! She wanted to pull me aside and personally let me know that she understands my hardships with my everyday living, and she knows I’m trying really hard here and that I want to make it in life. She said I could stay responsibly for a year and then move back in with my parents if I want yo do that. Nearly a year had passed and me Ann Rice had tackled any problems personal problems and hardships that she’d right away recognized it was all in her mind and head and that seeking help is okay and being help isn’t odd. Ultimately Ann Rice made a vow to herself to always be consistent with caring for herself because she’d just survived what was the coldest time in her life! It was surviving the coldest winter ever alone.
By Rachael Frazierabout a year ago in Families
Your Autistic Loved One Doesn’t Know What You’re Reacting To, and It’s Causing Trauma
When people who have little experience with mental illness hear the term ‘complex PTSD’, their minds automatically conjure images of sustained physical abuse or one major traumatic life event that permanently altered one’s nervous system and brain chemistry.
By The Articulate Autisticabout a year ago in Families
The True Nature of Relationships
The True Nature of Relationships Life is like a flowing river, ever-changing and constantly moving forward. As it flows, it takes numerous twists and turns, at times flowing with a rush of water, and at other times, it appears calm and still, like a tranquil lake. During this journey, we meet countless people. Some feel close, others simply accompany us for a while before drifting away. However, the true people in our lives are those who stand by us selflessly during times of adversity.
By Dipak Pawarabout a year ago in Families
The Illusion of Relationships: Not Everything is as It Seems
The Illusion of Relationships: Not Everything is as It Seems It is rightly said, "Not everything is as it seems, and that is why the world gets deceived." This observation holds particularly true in the context of relationships. Relationships, by their very nature, evoke expectations of trust, support, and love. However, the reality is often far from what we believe. Many relationships, especially those we hold dear, can turn out to be superficial, deceptive, and, at times, downright harmful.
By Dipak Pawarabout a year ago in Families
The Last Real Christmas Tree
The value of memories is coming in this season. One of the most iconic memories is going to pick out the Christmas tree. The weather has been different, but last year was one of the most memorable. It was the first and only time my nephew came. We wanted to bring memories to him. He was getting older and ready to pick out the tree. For weeks, we built the experience up for the little boy.
By Sarah Danaherabout a year ago in Families
The Hearth’s Eternal Flame
The Keeper of the Flame The fire in the hearth had always been more than just a source of warmth. It was a witness, a keeper of stories, and the silent guardian of our family’s history. In its flickering glow, generations of laughter, tears, and whispered secrets found refuge. The hearth wasn’t just a part of our home—it was its soul, a living reminder of the bonds that held us together.
By GoldenSpeechabout a year ago in Families
The Hearth of Winter
The snowstorm had begun as a whisper, a delicate scattering of snowflakes that danced gently in the late afternoon light. By nightfall, it had grown into a roaring blizzard, battering the small village nestled deep within the forest. Through the howling wind, the faint glow of lanterns and hearth fires flickered in the windows of the cottages, casting warmth against the encroaching cold.
By Etieka Udoabout a year ago in Families
The Eternal Flame: Guardian of Shadows
In the village of Norwood, nestled in the shadow of an ancient, towering mountain, there was an old legend passed down through generations. It told of a fire that could not be extinguished, a fire that burned in the heart of the earth itself. Its warmth spread far beyond the hearthstones of the homes it touched, bringing life and protection to the villagers who relied on it. This flame, the heart of the village, was said to be the reason Norwood thrived in the harshest winters, keeping both the village and its people safe.
By GoldenSpeechabout a year ago in Families
Fires of Connection
In the frozen silence of winter, the tiny village of Ardence seemed suspended in time. Snow blanketed the cobblestone streets and rooftops, muffling the world in an icy stillness. Shutters stayed firmly closed against the biting wind, but behind one set of weathered wooden panes, a flickering light refused to fade. It came from the hearth of Margot, the village elder, whose home stood at the edge of the town square like a sentinel against the encroaching cold.
By GoldenSpeechabout a year ago in Families
The Heart of the Flame
In the valley of Eldermist, nestled in the heart of the snow-covered mountains, the wind howled, and the snow blanketed everything in its icy grip. Yet, amidst the shadows of this frozen land, a fire burned unwavering, illuminating the darkened night. But this fire was no ordinary one. It belonged to the Emberkeeper, the Fire Guardian, a mysterious being who watched over the warmth of the entire village. Their role was not just to keep the fire burning but to be its very heartbeat, a living symbol of life itself.
By GoldenSpeechabout a year ago in Families
