immediate family
Blood makes you related, loyalty makes you family.
Christmas
It was Tom’s and my turn to host Christmas. Rather than our choosing which among our widely scattered family members we should visit, they came to us, here in Louisiana. My daughter, son, daughter-in-law, and even my sister came, all the way from London via Indianapolis, where she picked up our 90-year-old mother and escorted her to Louisiana on mom’s first plane ride in many decades. It was a sweet and fulfilling time.
By JANINA M FULLER5 years ago in Families
Love you, always.
The kindest thing I could do for you was to say good-bye. I walked away when really, I was too young to make that decision but it was for the best and thankfully the next ten years proved that. You were always better off without me and I knew that and similarly, I was better for myself at a distance from everyone I loved. I didn’t leave because I hated or resented you, I left because I love you. I love you more than words alone could say and words are empty if actions don’t back them up.
By Chrisie Hopps5 years ago in Families
I Suck At This
“I suck at this.” I slammed my pen down and dropped my head into my hands in frustration. It was senior year and I was applying to colleges. My grades were just okay but I did surprisingly well on the SAT exams. I only applied to four schools because the application cost was ridiculous and I, and my parents, could only afford so many. Why does it cost money to apply to a university? What a dumb — that’s a different rant for a different day. My parents forced me to be choosy, narrow it down to four likely candidates to continue my higher education. Two schools I wanted to go to, one my parents chose (the most affordable happened to be the closest as well), and a safety school that I was assured admission. But grades and test scores were not enough! Oh no, these prestigious, middle of the road, far from Ivy League Universities all required application essays as well. Basically long form begging restructured into a thesis statement as to why, if granted admission, I would become the next great Golden Eagle, or Blue Devil, or Crusader, or Leatherneck, to go out into the world and change it for good while continuing to remember my yearly alumni donations. Please let me in, all powerful gatekeepers of education, I hold promise for great things, accomplishments unmatched by any of my peers from the other medium-sized mid-conference local universities! I swear it!
By Matthew DiMare5 years ago in Families
My Mother Thinks I'm Going to Hell
My mother thinks I’m going to Hell. She didn’t say it in so many words, but what she said was perhaps worse. She was crying while we sat in her car in the driveway. “I’ve never been afraid of dying before because I’ve always known where I’m going. But now… now I’m afraid because… I’m afraid I’ll never see you again.”
By Courtney Pettersson5 years ago in Families
The scouting Owl
The owl is our guiding bird just like the falcon. This story is about my grandfather who lived in Palau. Our clan was formed from our warring ways because we were the best in fighting land warfare rather than sea warfare. It was because my grandfather's side of the family were tall people. My assumption is that they were either from Java, Philippines, Polynesians from Guam or washed up Spaniards. My height is five feet six inches and my Grandfather's brother, whose name is Ngiraitib was as tall as a basketball player.
By Waldo Yamada5 years ago in Families
What feels like an endless cycle
I've written just once before and it shared how my family has had negative impact upon me. That my stories will be about struggles and the things that have occurred over the years; as I call it my free therapy to express myself. A counselor/therapist I have found cut you off in sharing fully what you need to just simply get off your chest and I have never found success in them assisting me. I need to just vent to get it out and often when sharing with a good friend they simply just don't fully understand either as all think its jus too easy to stop being there for others. So when I say an endless cycle and a family who can't appreciate; it's as simple as that they know I will be there to help but they show very little appreciation. Or even express it in any little way occasionally to let me know they really do notice and appreciate all I do to assist them.
By Amelia Woodrum5 years ago in Families
