parents
The boundless love a parent has for their child is matched only by their capacity to embarrass them.
A STRANGER FOUND
It is dark and the damp air hangs heavy about me. I know what comes next, it is the sound of explosions and the bright light they cause. I tremble with fear and cower into the corner of the hill side. With each moment that passes the sound is louder and the flashes more intense; my heart beats faster. I feel the end is close and that any moment the explosion will be so close I will not be able to escape it. Through the brush I see a dark figure approaching. I pray, to save me from this peril. His hand reaches for me and then a sudden flash of light blinds me and his words are lost in the blast. My throat closes in fear and my scream silent as I suddenly sit up soaked in sweat, the covers tossed all about the bed. I hear my husband ask, “What’s wrong?” I tell him it was my usual recurring nightmare. Who was this faceless stranger coming to my rescue? I leaned back and put my head on the pillow hoping I would be able to relax enough to fall back asleep. All I could think of is why, why do I have this recurring nightmare. Later that morning I awoke and had a moment of clarity, I decided to find my father.
By EVELYN DORN2 years ago in Families
A Tale of Two Speeches
I peer into the mirror, no trace of your face returning my searching look. There never was, and I know that won’t change now. Your legs, however, hold me up, your feet, your toes, your….actually you laid this floor, didn’t you? On your hand and knees, refusing to wear a mask, working late even when I grew fed up and impatient to stop the clatter and rest, knowing that tomorrow I wouldn’t thank you all that much, but that I would walk every day on this floor you laid and not even notice how thankful I should be. I look down. Black socked feet against the now tired laminate. There is a gap, where the door frame curves and the square cut edge does not meet its bending. It’s filled with a built up cloying grime I can’t seem to keep at bay.
By Hannah Moore2 years ago in Families
The Father I Didn't Know
My father was distant when I was young. Not just emotionally but often physically. He was a quiet man. He spoke little and faced the world with an expressionless calmness. He also had a job that required him to travel extensively from our house in London. He would be gone for days in Europe and sometimes as far away as Australia. And to my way of thinking, that was how fathers were.
By Pitt Griffin2 years ago in Families
A model father and an excluded daughter
Well, how do you start a personal report? Okay, I'll start introducing myself then….. My name is Jolene Santos, and no, I'm nothing like Jolene from Dolly Parton's song. My father chose that name for me because he thought I would look like him and my mother. My father is blond and tall, with blue-green eyes, the most beautiful I've ever seen, he's the hue of the ponds of Switzerland when the sun is shining on them. My mother is Snow White herself, with short, black hair and very white, smooth skin.
By Emilly Hipolito2 years ago in Families
Big Al
My father endured so many hardships in his life, still, he is the most light-hearted person I know. He continues to have all the typical dad jokes, punch lines, and funny insults. His great sense of humor has stayed intact throughout everything he has been through. As my main supporter throughout my life, he has instilled in me the best qualities of who I am today.
By Bridgette A Mercer-Jamgochian2 years ago in Families
Saturday’s with Dad
I’ll never forget spending Saturday mornings with my dad. First we’d go to my grandfather’s house for breakfast. We ate Jok and that’s no joke! Laughing aside if you didn’t already know, “Jok” is Asian rice porridge with meat and bean curd garnished with green onions and peanuts. After breakfast, we’d drive out to this bar he helped manage. That’s where I first learned to count, do basic math, and understand simple bookkeeping. I’d count out stacks of money and wrap them in paper bindings for him to deposit at the bank. He’d also check inventory against sales receipts and logs.
By Katherine Nesbitt2 years ago in Families
The Dappy Dinky Doodler And Other Childhood Fantasies. Top Story - July 2022.
There are many things in life that mold us and make us into the people we are. Every day, every moment, every person we connect with brings another form of change to who we are meant to be.
By Kelli Sheckler-Amsden2 years ago in Families
Me, Dad and the Skate Park
My father is a good man, but when I was born he was just a teenager. It takes its toll on a person being that young and being expected to raise a child, to be present in a soon to be broken home in South London. Despite the doom and gloom of the concrete jungle, despite the ruthless predators and harsh environment, he and I still managed to carve out our own pieces of the city, namely our local skate parks.
By Ryan Appleyard2 years ago in Families
The Art of Paying it Forward
Dad........ What does that word mean to you? To me, it means love, guidance, somebody who is always on your side but has the wisdom and courage to pull you back when you’re about to jump off of a cliff, and to listen …… to be THERE when you don't feel like you can stand on your own anymore........it also means someone who is not just my Dad but also a human being too, an intricately flawed human being with issues and problems that he has spent his whole life trying to overcome and other ones that he refuses to face -probably because they are just too much for even his indomitable will.
By Alicia Anspaugh2 years ago in Families