COMPILATION OF CREATIVE WRITINGS

COMPILATION
OF CREATIVE

WRITING

PROSE
FICTION

VIGNETTE

Time to Care: Full-Time Mom and Student
BY CHELSEA MAXWELL & KRISTA

Debbie’s life changed suddenly when her husband, Dennis, suffered a stroke. She
recalls seeing him for the first time after surgery, “I was so excited. I [ran] into the
hospital and [there] he is . . . a very strong, able-bodied, big-chested man transformed
to a withered old man with a blank look on his face.” After Dennis’ stroke, Debbie
became his caregiver. “It wasn’t something I thought I would ever have to do. You just
think you’re going to grow old together, right?”

The transition from the hospital, to the rehabilitation facility, to home was hard. It was
also expensive. “Financially, we had to go in and use all of our 401K. That investment
was for our retirement and our future . . . we didn’t intend to use it for hospital bills.”
Overwhelming despair and anger were common feelings, as Dennis was completely
dependent on Debbie. It became clear to Debbie that in order to care for Dennis and
their relationship well, she would have to quit the job she loved. “I was sleeping an hour
or two a night, maybe. . . The Lord made it very clear to me that I had gotten my
priorities completely out of sync . . . Marriage is supposed to represent what Christ looks
like to the church, and I was doing a terrible job of it.”

Over the last eight years, Debbie has remained Dennis’s primary caregiver. They have
continued to struggle financially with depleted assets, leaning on Social Security
Disability Insurance and part-time work. But in the midst of this care journey, Debbie
has also begun a ministry, Beyond Fear to Freedom, to support women like Renee by
facilitating authentic, Christ-centered community.

Chelsea, M, & Krista. (2019, March 21). Time to Care. Families Valued. Families
Valued. https://www.familiesvalued.org/stories/2019/3/21/time-to-care-vignettes-of-
family-life

FLASH
FICTION

Maddie's Family Reunion

By Liz Elias

It was a lemonade-on-the-porch-swing kind of day in the quiet rural town. No clouds
filtered the sun, and only a timid breeze tickled the ears of the pussy willows along the
stream bank. Maddie Stevenson sighed a contented sigh as she sat, gently swinging
and enjoying her drink.

She thought back to the family reunion. So many grandchildren, cousins, nieces and
nephews! It was great to see them all together. She drifted into sweet reverie. There
was Grandpa Jones, celebrating his hundred and second birthday, and as spry as ever.
She spoke at length with her sister, Rosalee, reminiscing about their hijinks as children.

Around the grounds she walked, sampling all the delicious goodies everyone had
brought. Her eldest granddaughter, just recently graduated from college, had come with
her boyfriend, but the whispers were that he was really her fiancé.

Maddie always enjoyed her visits with Maybelle Tibbins. She was such a longtime friend
of the family that she practically was family, always there to help in times of need.
Maddie asked her about the latest hat she wore; Maybelle had a weak spot for new
hats. This one was gaily decorated with bright flowers on green straw, and tied with a
bow under the chin. Maybelle said, “Oh, you wouldn’t believe it, but this darling chapeau
was sadly tossed aside in a corner at the second-hand store! I just had to rescue it! It
looks like it’s brand-new, doesn’t it?” Maddie agreed, and made little sounds to echo her
surprise that such a darling hat would be almost in the trash bin.

As she ate a piece of birthday cake, she was surrounded by the youngest members of
the clan, all eager for one of her stories of the old days. She finished her cake and
launched into one of the favorite tales.

“It was a day much like this, only school was in session as it wasn’t quite summer
vacation time yet. All the girls were wearing summer-weight frocks, you know, because
it was such a nice warm day.”

Maddie paused, knowing the suspense would prompt one of the grandchildren to
demand more details.

“Was it after school, then?” asked little May Alder, the youngest of the group
surrounding Maddie.

“Yes, it was,” Maddie continued. “The class had just let out; we were all in one
classroom in those days, so all the grades were together. As we started our walk home,
which was about two miles, we chatted about the lessons, and about what we were
going to be doing during summer. It wasn’t really a vacation back then of course. We

were expected to help with family chores. The girls cooked and cleaned and the boys
helped in the fields. Our family had just planted this apple orchard five years prior, and
we were looking forward to our first really good harvest.”
“But what about what you did after school?” Interrupted May's brother, Billy, who had
heard the story before and realized that Great Grandma Maddie had gone off track.
“Oh, yes, after school. Well, there we were, Sally Middleford and I, along with Rebekah
Jenkins, all minding our own business, walking, talking, and laughing. All of a sudden,
we noticed some boys behind us, laughing and being very noisy. It wasn’t a nice laugh;
they were up to something, for sure.”

“What happened? What did they do?” Prompted Billy.

“Well sir, those naughty boys had found a wasp nest, and pulled it down from a tree with
some sticks. The next thing we knew, they threw the thing at our heels! Oh, my, the
awful sound of those buzzing, angry wasps, I shall never forget! We heard those boys
laughing uproariously as we screamed and ran down the road as fast as our ten-year-
old legs could carry us! Those wasps, though, could fly pretty fast, and a number of
them caught up with us, and we all got stung.”

“I bet that hurt pretty bad, huh?” said May.

“Yes, a wasp sting is pretty painful, and the bad thing about wasps, is they can each
sting you several times. We ran as fast as we could, and threw ourselves into Little
Longhorn Creek to get away, and cool the stings.”

“Oh, no! Your pretty dresses all wet and dirty,” wailed Abby Brooks, who had thus far
sat entranced with the story.

“Oh, yes, we were a sorry sight when we got home, and my mother was very cross with
me for getting so dirty and all wet. But when I told her what happened, she seemed a
little less angry, but it was not a very pleasant day.”

“So did your dresses get clean again?” Abby wanted to know.

“Yes, mother scrubbed extra hard, and managed to get most of the mud out, but it was
never quite like a nice new dress again.”

Maddie stood up, and the children knew not to pester her for another story just yet; after
all, she was really old, and needed to rest often. At least that’s what they thought,

because when you’re only six or seven, any age beyond twenty seems positively
ancient.
She walked across the grass, missing no one, stopping to chat, and finally the party was
over, and as the guests left, she sat on her swing, feeling at once happy and
melancholy.
Maddie opened her eyes, coming out of her daydream, and smiled a satisfied smile.
Sipping the last of her lemonade, she set the glass on the table and remarked, to no
one in particular, for indeed, she was alone, “It will be nice to see everyone again.” She
sat back and started to gently swing, and closed her eyes for the last time.

Elias, L. (2017, September 17). Maddie’s Family Reunion—Flash Fiction. LetterPile; LetterPile.
https://letterpile.com/creative-writing/Maddies-Family-Reunion-Flash-Fiction

PROS NON-
FICTION

TRAVEL
WRITING

TRAVEL ESSAY
Article By: JOSH LONEY

In my life, I have gone on many memorable trips. I look forward to my families annual
trip to Georgia every year, and I will never forget our trip to Graceland or all the different
family events we’ve gone to out east. But the one trip that has stayed in my mind and
had the greatest impact on me wasn’t a family trip.
It was my synagogue’s youth group trip to Cincinnati.

Me with a team mascot.
Every year my temple youth group takes all it’s freshmen on a special trip to Cincinnati,
as part of their confirmation in the Jewish faith. We all got up early on a Friday and the
bus departed at seven. After an exhaustingly long bus ride it was time for our first
destination. We all got dressed up in our good clothes and arrived at a church.

Actually it wasn’t a church. It was the first reformed Jewish temple ever established in
the world. The founders wanted to create a place of worship that was seemingly
identical to the norm (Christianity.) The temple had an Ottoman-esque interior, roofed
with elaborately painted domes, lined with traditional wooden pews, with a massive
organ in the back that’s pipes snaked up the wall like ivy. There was even a steeple
(back when the temple was first built, the neighboring church made their steeple taller
because they didn’t want to be outdone by jews.)

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The only tip-off that this wasn’t a church was that there were no crosses.

Another destination was the Hebrew Union College where we got a tour of their records
room which included historic religious artifacts from a translated scroll by medieval-era
Chinese Jews to a Gutenberg bible.

We were taken through their Holocaust memorial, a sobering tour including filmed
interviews of survivors.

Both of these stops held a special weight that has impacted my view on life. I had never
taken my religion seriously. But seeing where my practice began, relics from Jews
around the world and the evil that was the holocaust changed that.
It made me realize that for thousands of years people have fought to keep this religion
alive and it is my duty to keep it and pass it on and fight for it too.
The whole trip wasn’t all serious however. I also had some of the most fun in my entire
life. I roomed with three of my friends.
On the first night when we were changing for the Sabbath, a girl came to our door and
one answered even though none of us were fully clothed. We pushed him out the door
and promptly locked him out. About five minutes later we realized that he had no
clothes. He promptly showed up at the door in girls clothing, somewhat angry but
laughing at our prank. He ended up having to go to services in a pink sweatshirt and
girls-jeans.

The Rabbi was obviously bemused to say the least.
On the last night the four of us were just relaxing when all of a sudden another kid from
the adjoining hotel room burst through the door wearing a t-shirt, boxers and snow-
boots shouting “Get everything off the floor!”
Any confusion was suddenly swept away when we saw water come flowing into our
room. A pipe had burst and we spent the night with an inch of water covering the floor.
This trip was three years ago. But of it is still vivid in my memory. It instilled faith in me
and built camaraderie amongst my peers (some are now my best friends) and it has
given me memories that I will cherish forever.

Travel Essay. (2009, November 10). My Family Travels.
https://myfamilytravels.com/content/30768-travel-essay

BLOG

Studies Prove cuddling our children makes them more successful
as adults

BY BECKY MANSFIELD · PUBLISHED: JUNE 9, 2021 · LAST UPDATED: JUNE 9,
2021 · 5 COMMENTS

Did you know that cuddling our children now will make them more successful as
adults? It’s true! Science proves that kids need to be hugged for 15 seconds or
more and today we are diving into just how important it really is for their development
and for their futures.

When I was in college, I took several classes in childhood development. I’ve always
been interested in learning and understanding how a child’s brain develops. It was in
that class that I first learned that hugging & cuddling a child makes them smarter &
better behaved. Actually, it raises their IQ.

Yes, cuddling our children makes them smarter & better behaved. I don’t often use the
word “makes” because that may not be the case, but for this, it’s very much the
case. In fact… the way a baby develops has a lot to do with the amount of cuddling,
hugging, and kissing that is given when they are young. It’s the reason that Kangeroo
care, skin-to-skin contact, is so important for an infant.

Cuddling babies can change their DNA
According to a publication in Development and Psychopathology, a study of 94 healthy
children was conducted by scientists from the University of British Columbia and BC
Children’s Hospital Research Institute. They found that infants who lacked human
content had a molecular profile in their cells that proved that there was a lack of proper
development. These results maintained even when they were looked at several years
later.

I’ve known that the touch, and even eye contact, of a parent, is huge for a child. I
remember learning that eye contact can give a child the same feeling of relief that
comes with pain medication, such as acetaminophen.

The Study that Proves DNA changes
“94 healthy children in British Columbia. Researchers from UBC and BC Children’s
Hospital asked parents of 5-week-old babies to keep a diary of their infants’ behavior
(such as sleeping, fussing, crying or feeding) as well as the duration of caregiving that

involved bodily contact. When the children were about 4 1/2 years old, their DNA was
sampled by swabbing the inside of their cheeks.” – Development and Psychopathology

Cuddling our children makes them smarter & better behaved
“The amount of physical contact between infants and their caregivers can affect children
at the molecular level. The study of DNA methylation patterns showed that children who
had been more distressed as infants and had received less physical contact had a
molecular profile that was underdeveloped for their age.

This is the first study to show in humans that the simple act of touching, early in life, has
deeply-rooted and potentially lifelong consequences on genetic expression.”
– sciencedaily.com

Brain Scans of Two Children Prove a Mother’s Love Impacts Child’s
Brain Size.
“A shocking comparison of brain scans from two three-year-old children reveals new
evidence of the remarkable impact a mother‘s love has on a child’s brain development.

The chilling images reveal that the left brain, which belongs to a normal 3-year-old, is
significantly larger and contains fewer spots and dark “fuzzy” areas than the right brain,
which belongs to that of a 3-year-old who has suffered extreme neglect.

Neurologists say that the latest images provide more evidence that the way children are
treated in their early years is important not only for the child’s emotional development
but also in determining the size of their brains.

Experts say that the sizeable difference in the two brains is primarily caused by
the difference in the way each child was treated by their
mothers.” – medicaldaily.com

The team of researchers reported that the child with the smaller brain lacked a mother’s
care.

Cuddling a child makes them more empathetic
The same team that found that brain size changed with a mother’s care, or lack of care,
also found that children being held, cared for, hugged, and loved are more likely to be
more intelligent and will develop the ability to be empathetic with others.

The child not cared for is more likely to become addicted to drugs, involved in violent
crimes, and to be unemployed and dependent on government assistance.
(childwelfare.gov)

Children brought up with affection have a greater capacity to learn.
“… children brought up by mothers who provide love and affection early in life are
smarter and have a greater capacity to learn. Researchers at Washington University
School of Medicine in St. Louis found that children whose mothers nurtured them
early in life have a larger hippocampus, a key brain structure that is essential to
learning, memory, and response to stress, according to a study published in the
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Early Edition.” medicaldaily.com

Hugging keeps you from getting sick
I love this one. When I was little, I never minded being sick, because it meant snuggling
with my mom on the couch, under her navy blue & white knitted blanket, usually with a
cup of mint chocolate chip ice cream in my hand. While I’ve always known that we
FEEL better when we are being held and cared for, now we are learning that those
things actually help prevent us from getting sick in the first place.

A study at Carnegie Mellon University found that when people are hugged more often,
and feeling supported socially, they are less likely to get a cold. If they do get a cold,
they have less severe symptoms than those not hugged as often.

Hugging makes you less stressed
Yes, hugging even makes you less stressed and is better for your mental
health. According to Health.News.us, “the hugging and oxytocin release that comes
with it can then have trickle-down effects throughout the body, causing a decrease in
heart rate and a drop in the stress hormones cortisol and norepinephrine.”

Studies prove that hugging makes us (kids & parents) happier!
Do you want your child to have a life of happiness? HUG THEM! Research shows that
not only will they be happier, but as you’ve seen above, they will have higher self-
esteem, perform better academically, have less stress, and they will be more

successful. This form of parent-child communication gives your children the tools to be
happy, successful children and adults.

Why are they happier? Scientists are linking it to the release of Oxytocin, a hormone
that makes us feel happy. Oxytocin is a chemical in the brain that is released when a
person feels loved (when they are hugged) or connected.

The New York Times also talks about the amazing power of hugs. They talk about the
amount of research supporting the connection between physical contact and success.

According to the Gottman Institute, several studies back up these claims that
hugging = happiness.

“In 2010, researchers at Duke University Medical School found that babies with very
affectionate and attentive mothers grow up to be happier, more resilient, and less
anxious adults. The study involved about 500 people who were followed from when they
were infants until they were in their 30s.

A 2013 study from UCLA found that unconditional love and affection from a parent can
make children emotionally happier and less anxious. This happens because their brain
actually changes as a result of affection.

Then in 2015, a study out of the University of Notre Dame showed that children who
receive affection from their parents were happier as adults. More than 600 adults were
surveyed about how they were raised, including how much physical affection they had.
The adults who reported receiving more affection in childhood displayed less
depression and anxiety and were more compassionate overall. ”

What if your child doesn’t like hugging? Here are hugging alternatives:
While kids probably don’t want to be hugged all day long, it’s a great thing and my kids
have always welcomed hugs (although I am a very ‘huggy person’, so they are probably
just used to it!)
If your kids aren’t as open to it, just remember… it’s more about the connection than
about the actual HUG.

You can find alternatives to hugging, such as:

• Scratching their backs
• Rubbing their backs
• Massage
• Holding hands
• Snuggling on the couch
• Play the tickle-monster game
• Hold, touch and rock your child while you tell them a story
• Tousle their hair
• Give an extra squeeze when they are leaving for school and when they come

home.
• Lie down with them to cuddle before bed (and even when they come to you in the

middle of the night because of a nightmare)
• Rub their cheeks (I often just hold my kid’s little faces, with one hand on their

cheek, while I’m talking to them)
• Put your hand on their shoulder
• Put one arm around them
• Let them sit on your lap or cuddle close to read a book

Becky, M. (2021, June 9). Studies Prove cuddling our kids makes them more successful as
adults. Your Modern Family. https://www.yourmodernfamily.com/cuddling-successful/

POETRY

RHYMES

The Long Voyage

BY MALCOLM COWLEY

Not that the pines were darker there,
nor mid-May dogwood brighter there,
nor swifts more swift in summer air;

it was my own country,
having its thunderclap of spring,
its long midsummer ripening,
its corn hoar-stiff at harvesting,

almost like any country,
yet being mine; its face, its speech,
its hills bent low within my reach,
its river birch and upland beech

were mine, of my own country.
Now the dark waters at the bow
fold back, like earth against the plow;
foam brightens like the dogwood now

at home, in my own country.

Cowley, M. (2022). The Long Voyage by Malcolm Cowley | Poetry Magazine. Poetry Magazine.
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/22148/the-long-voyage

MODERN
POEM

Family Reunion
By Sylvia Plath

Outside in the street I hear
A car door slam; voices coming near;
Incoherent scraps of talk
And high heels clicking up the walk;
The doorbell rends the noonday heat
With copper claws;
A second’s pause.
The dull drums of my pulses beat
Against a silence wearing thin.
The door now opens from within.
Oh, hear the clash of people meeting ——
The laughter and the screams of greeting:

Fat always, and out of breath,
A greasy smack on every cheek
From Aunt Elizabeth;
There, that’s the pink, pleased squeak
Of Cousin Jane, out spinster with
The faded eyes
And hands like nervous butterflies;
While rough as splintered wood
Across them all

Rasps the jarring baritone of Uncle Paul;
The youngest nephew gives a fretful whine
And drools at the reception line.
Like a diver on a lofty spar of land
Atop the flight of stairs I stand.
A whirlpool leers at me,
I cast off my identity
And make the fatal plunge.

Plath, S. (2012). Family Reunion, by Sylvia Plath. Poeticous. https://www.poeticous.com/sylvia-
plath/family-reunion