Little Willow

By Kim Friesen

Little Willow is the story of the relationship between Amy, a nine-year old girl, and Little Willow, a tiny, grey cat.

Little Willow helps Amy to heal her feelings from living in an environment with parents who argue a lot and in the future might divorce.

Little Willow offers Amy potential solutions to empower herself to find a way to be happy despite her home life. In the end, Amy is able to see her situation in a completely new and enlightened way concluding that she’s okay exactly as she is despite her parents’ troubles.

Little Willow’s motive is to connect with and therefore inspire children to do something different in their own lives should they be facing unpleasant family experiences. The intent is to show children a way to share and handle feelings so that they do not emotionally disconnect in their interactions with parents, siblings, extended family, peers, neighbors, teachers. In addition, Little Willow defines and establishes boundaries for the reader about what children can do for themselves when their parents are not happy.

Little Willow shares with the reader that just because parents have arguments it does not mean that children themselves are the unlovable ones or the ones damaged in some way. Little Willow also shares that although divorce can change circumstances in a child’s life, it doesn’t change whom the child is inside. It gives children hope in situations where they almost certainly feel hopeless.

Little Willow affirms the unconditional love of animals both real and stuffed and shows children that they are never alone. Little Willow provides valuable information to children that can also be utilized in many different situations that could arise in a child’s growing up years.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kim Friesen
• Release date: Jun 9, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301199402

Kim Friesen

Hi, my name is Kim Friesen,I have published 2 eBooks that I wrote, Angelina Beaglina Saves Summer and Little Willow, as well as several articles:Island Parent – Victoria, BC. Article published titled Forty and Pregnant, on page 54/55 of the June 2008 edition. http://www.islandparent.ca/articles/forty.htmlHeart & Stroke Foundation of BC. Article published titled Stroke of Luck on their website during Stroke Month (June 2007). http://www.heartandstroke.ca/Monday Magazine – Victoria, BC. Article published titled Musings on Meditation on page 33 of the May 10 – 16, 2007 edition.Monday Magazine’s Supplement, Body, Mind, & Spirit – Victoria, BC. Article published titled Stroke of Luck on Page 19 of the Autumn 2005 edition.My next goal is to finish the drafts eBooks that I'm writing about the stroke I suffered in 2003, as well as one of some of the poetry I've written. I’m also very excited to get some of the songs I’ve written published. I've written several articles too that you can read on my website, Kim Friesen - Mogillow Arts at www.mogillow.com. I welcome you to come and check them out!As you can see I'm active and relish at being a mom to my wonderful little boy and furry family and being married to my awesome husband. There is nothing better than living with them here on the beautiful West Coast of Canada on Vancouver Island while I write books, poetry, lyrics (with simple chords), and articles related to events and people that have affected my life.I hope that you enjoy reading my writings and that the future is bright and generous to us all!Cheers,Kim

Book preview

LITTLE WILLOW

Kim Friesen

Copyright © 2013 Kim Friesen, Mogillow Arts

License Notes: This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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Kim Friesen, Mogillow Arts

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CHAPTER 1

Eighteen, nineteen, twenty . . . ready or not here I come, Amy yelled, as her hands flew down from her face. Standing up from the blue, wooden porch where she’d sat, she took a long and deep breath: sunshine and Hide and Go Seek, she’d found Heaven!

The stairs swayed a bit as she took a giant leap forward, towards the grass below. Her feet made a loud Bam as she landed and she giggled, glad that being a girl didn’t mean you always had to be graceful. She enjoyed being silly, especially if it involved a game of Hide and Go Seek and boys! Nothing made Amy happier than when she beat the neighborhood boys at the games they played. In fact, she’d saved her allowance up all year so she was able to have a special t-shirt made up that said, Girls Rule, Boys Drool! She wore the shirt proudly.

The back porch on the Barlow’s house acted as home base for Hide and Go Seek. Hana and Austin Barlow live here with their mom and dad. Hana, the older of the Barlow children, had been Amy’s best friend since they were babies.

The Barlow’s house, a blue and white farmhouse, stood proudly on the property. Amy’s mom said the original builders laid the first stones for the house in 1885! This amazed Amy since her great, great grandpa had been born in that year too, so long ago. The house had large, white wooden shutters on each window with a blue porch that wrapped all around the outside. At the back of the house, a pea-pod shaped chair hung from a large, steel chain, bolted to one of the porch’s wooden beams. On summer days, Amy loved to cuddle in the chair and sip iced tea with Hana. Both girls swung their legs back and forth dreamt of all the things they were going to do together when they were older.

When the Barlows weren’t home, Amy cuddled in the pea-pod shaped chair and pretended she lived in the Barlow’s house. She loved to pretend she was grown up and that her imaginary husband was going to be there soon from his work in the forest at the back of the property. Amy grinned at the thought of her pretend husband. A tall and handsome lumberjack, who wore soft flannel blue and red-checkered shirts, with faded jeans and brown work boots. Amy’s pretend husband always told her how much he loved her and that he missed her whenever he had to be away from her. He told Amy she had to be the prettiest girl he had ever