Writing Something That Means Something: A Collection of Short Stories

By Barbara J. Little

This book of short stories will take you on a journey and open your heart to lots of love. Some of the stories are fact and some are fiction; it is up to you, the reader, to decide what you think is real and what is not. It will reach your innermost spirituality. It will take you to a place of true experience and allow you to use your imagination at the same time. It will help you to remember to never take anything or anyone for granted. It will also teach you to stay focused on what is really important in life and not spend too much time worrying about the small things, and instead pay attention to details so you will not miss the meaning. Most important of all: be true to you! I hope you enjoy my book of short stories. May God bless you in a special way!

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Dec 10, 2014
• ISBN: 9781490860916

Book preview

1

The Playhouse

A long time ago, there was a girl named Jill. She grew up in the deep south of Alabama. Times were really hard for her and her family.

One day she decided to make a tree house and decorate it with some old things that her mom was going to throw away. Jill had a very large family, so she really liked playing alone. She felt that if she built this tree house, it would be her own little place away from home. She had to find just the right spot. She did not want to be too close to home, and she did not want to be too far away either. She was so excited that she got up early one summer morning and set out to find that perfect place for the tree house.

Her brother came outside also. He said, What are you doing up so early?

Jill did not want anyone to know what she was doing, so she just smiled and said, No reason.

When her brother went back into the house, she took off running to find her special place for the tree house. Jill crossed the wire fence near their pigpen. She saw some branches that overlapped each other. It was very different from anything she had ever seen. She bent down, walked under the branches, and said, "Yes! This is it, my own little spot." Jill ran back to the house to gather some things to fix up the tree house. She was so excited that she didn’t even stop to think how close the pigpen was to her tree house.

At midday, she was finished fixing up the tree house. As it got hot, Jill began to smell the stench from the pigpen nearby. Later that day, her neighborhood friend Jackie came by to visit. Jill said excitedly, I have something to show you. Come with me. They ran off together, crossed the wire fence, and went to the tree house.

Jackie said, This is such a cool tree house.

Jill said, I knew you would like it. We can come and play here when you come over.

Jackie said, What about that odor from the pigpen?

Jill said, We will just pretend we don’t smell it.

Jackie said, That will be very hard to do. I’m leaving. See you later.

Jill sat there alone and said, Maybe this was a bad spot for the tree house.

o Fact

o Fiction

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2

The Golden Egg

I n 1973 in the small town of Gainesville, Alabama, there were three girls who attended the Head Start school together: Diane, Betty, and Valerie. They were very close friends, and they played together all the time. If you saw one, you saw all of them together.

One day, the teachers decided to make the Easter egg hunt interesting. Before they went out to hide the eggs, they explained to all the kids that this year there would be a golden-egg prize. Whoever found the golden egg would win a chocolate bunny. All the kids were screaming with excitement. The teachers left the room after telling the students not to peek out the window.

The three best friends made an agreement that whoever won the bunny would share with the others. They told Betty to go look out the window to see where the teachers hid the golden egg. She did, and she saw where they hid the egg.

When the teachers came back, they said, Come on out, kids, and good luck!

Betty ran to the old tire swing, picked up that golden egg, and said, I found the golden egg!

The teachers cheered and clapped. Great job, Betty! The class continued the Easter egg hunt and then came inside. The teacher awarded Betty with the chocolate bunny. Betty’s two friends were all smiles because they knew that Betty was going to share with them.

As they waited for the bus to come, the three friends stood there, chatting, as always. Valerie asked Betty to unwrap the bunny and break off pieces for the other two girls, but Betty didn’t want to open it. She said, I would like to take it home and show my family what I won.

Diane said, That’s not fair! We agreed to share with each other. We let you look out the window, and now you have to share with us, or we will tell the teachers.

Betty said, I will take it home and bring some to you tomorrow. When she stepped on the bus, she dropped the bunny, and its ear broke. She was very sad, but she took it home anyway and never shared with her friends. The three still remained friends, but Diane and Valerie always reminded Betty about not sharing the chocolate bunny, and they always had a good laugh about it.

o Fact

o Fiction

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3

Country Cottage Waterfall

I n Ireland, a small country cottage stood near a waterfall. A man named Mr. Silverman and his wife had lived there for many years. They were a lovely couple. Mr. Silverman and his wife were retired and had been married for thirty-seven years. They’d gotten married at a very young age. Every morning they went outside and had their coffee near the waterfall.

One day when they were on their way to the waterfall, Mrs. Silverman slipped and fell. As she was getting up, she said, "I’m okay, just getting older. I guess I can’t walk as