Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Families.
A World Beyond Our Own
“There’s more to life than what you see,” My mother used to say to me as we drove through town in the dead of night. She delivered newspapers to every home in our tiny village of Sabina, Ohio, and once I turned ten she finally allowed me to stay up late and join her on her escapade. I can’t remember what possessed her to want to stay up after midnight to deliver papers and then get up early in the morning to deliver mail for the postal service, but my mother was always one to keep herself busy. She hated sitting around and doing nothing; it made her feel useless. “There’s a whole ‘nother world out there,” She pointed to the night sky, millions and millions of stars blinking at us, and the moon that provided a dim white light.
By Charleigh Haley8 years ago in Families
The Letter. Top Story - October 2018.
Dearest Princess, By now, you are used to these letters. I must admit that I am not. Even though it is how we must communicate now, I struggle. With every word I write the desire to see your life unfold becomes stronger, and ridden with a passion I have never known. Its as if I can see the years playing out before me, shrouded in a foggy haze. It's like looking at brief glimpses of a clear picture as you turn the dial on a faulty TV set. The picture is static amid clarity; I know what lies ahead for you, but I am unable to see the final act. There are so many things your life is about to hand you. Difficult, beautiful, hard, simplistic, unreasonable, wild, passionate, calm, and wonderful adventures that will amaze you. I can't even begin to tell you how much life is meant to be enjoyed. I have a feeling you will complete the task effortlessly.
By Jody James8 years ago in Families
Forever Missing My Dad
January 31, 2018 was a day I will never forget... I remember every detail. It was a Wednesday, and I had just began to work on my second patient of the morning when I heard my office manager behind me. I turned to see if she needed me, and saw her pointing. I read the words as they silently rolled off her lips, “Your brother is here.” Immediately, my heart sank. I knew something wasn’t right. Tears started to well up as I excused myself from the operatory. I stepped out of the room to see my younger brother standing there at the end of the hallway waiting for me. His face was troubled, his body was tense, and his voice was almost unrecognizable. My dad had gone missing the night before, and his body had been found that morning. Sooo many questions started flowing through my mind. Why? Where was his body found? How did this happen to him? Maybe there was a mixup. There was no way that it could be “MY DAD.” No possible way that he could really be gone. It was so difficult to put the pieces together... It was troubling to believe. It was harder to even BREATHE. My world came crumbling down in an instant.
By Chelsea Jones8 years ago in Families
Why Halloween is So Important in Our House
The 31st of October means different things to different people, in different parts of the world. "Halloween," "Samhain," "Dia de Muertos." In our house, despite the tendency towards masks and costumes, Halloween is a chance for us to be ourselves.
By Megan Paul8 years ago in Families
5 Things I Want My Baby to Know
1. You Will Find What You Look for The World can be a scary place. It can be an awe inspiring, overwhelming place too. There is such a huge scale variety of sickening, tragic things happening on a daily basis; so much loss, pain, destruction and cruelty dished out that it is enough to knock the breath from you and make you feel like never stepping outside again. The world also has within it natural phenomenon and natural beauty, acts of kindness and life changing moments so big they make you pull back from the moment and look at it with a mixture of wonder and amazement. Too often, feeling unable to cope with things or overwhelmed by things comes from too much of one perspective. We live in a time where information is available at the touch of a button, where we are more aware of things on a global scale, where a person living across the world is not a thing you ponder mysteriously, but someone you can search up and send a message to within minutes. This opens us up to possibilities, but also to a total onslaught of over-stimulating information. Your mind will grow on what you feed it. Take time to pull away when there is too much sorrow to wade through, and wrap yourself in comforting things when something seems too big to process. It's OK to unplug for a while, in fact it is necessary.
By Jaz Johnstone8 years ago in Families
The Life of a Mom
Well, one thing I know for sure... It's not easy being a Mom of two young babies who are only 10 months apart. We have a routine. We definitely need a routine. First, We wake up in the morning, change diapers, get breakfast, then it's play time. My youngest normally naps around 10:30, while my oldest destroys the house I had just cleaned while they ate breakfast. I don't understand how she contains so much energy in such a tiny little body. Although I probably never will.
By Maddison Whitman8 years ago in Families
My Boots Are My Roots
I could say all the cliche things to grab your attention. I could paint a fake image of the cowboy life that I grew up in. But, none of that would be me, and that would be a disservice to the way I was raised and taught. I grew up surrounded by my parents, nature, and literally, on horseback. Don't quite get what I mean? Check out the main picture... yup. That's me in the knapsack with my dad at eight months old out in Kananaskis country in Alberta. Most of my childhood memories revolve around nature and family. If we weren't camping, we were on horses. If it wasn't that then it was helping dad with projects around the house. My world was learning, all types of skills, from how to hammer a nail to asking critical thoughtful questions about tough topics like politics, history, and philosophy. I was always encouraged to do well in school and if I was curious, at the time, "Google it" wasn't a phrase yet, grab a dictionary, or an encyclopedia and learn about it.
By Steven Altman8 years ago in Families
