A short story
Photo by S O C I A L . C U T on Unsplash
Once Upon A Time
2023, Henery X ©
Once upon a time in a land far, far away, I met the family twenty-six letters. The family in question consisted of mother Alice, father Bill and their twenty-four children.
Shortly after meeting this friendly family, they invited me to their home. After the grand tour of their home, mother Alice and father Bill began telling me about some stories they and their children had been responsible for. And each story was more exciting than the last. They indeed had my undivided attention.
Then it happened. Mother Alice said…
“We can help you write your own compelling stories, Henery.”
And I responded, “But I can’t read or write.”
Then father Bill said, “Oh, we can help you do both.”
“Really.”
“Yes.” they both said in unison.
“Children. Come here, please,” father Bill said.
The other letters came running into the living room and stood looking at their parents.
“We’re going to teach Henery here how to read, so he’ll learn how to write. Got it.”
The other letters all nodded their heads.
“Follow us, Henery,” father Bill said.
We all ended up in a spacious library. I had never seen so many books in one space.
“Go grab that chair and bring it over here, Zeek,” father Bill said.
The little letter went and did as his father had asked.
“Now, Henery. Have a seat and let us help you read, so you’ll be able to write.”
I sat in the comfortable chair, eager to see what they had in store for me.
“Now, I hope you don’t freak out by what you’re about to see, Henery. Family, let’s do what we do best,” father Bill said.
They laid down on the floor and started creating words. They asked me to sound out the words, and they even made the sounds they asked me to make. It amazed me how they could multiply themselves to form certain words. It was a thing of beauty. They continued doing this for several hours, and then they moved on to sentences, which were followed by paragraphs. After many hours, I could read. I could actually read. This moment brought about a feeling I had never felt before. The joy was indescribable.
The family of twenty-six letters rose from the floor and then said in unison, “Now, go write!”
And I said, “Write what?”
“Your dreams, your desires, your experiences and whatever else that comes to mind,” they all said in harmony.
They directed me to a gigantic oak desk, which had a stack of paper and pens sitting atop it. I took a seat in a comfortable leather executive chair, grabbed a sheet of paper and a pen, and then I wrote. And once I started, I didn’t want to stop. I mean, it was like this new found activity had taken control of my mind, body and soul. As I wrote, the family of twenty-six letters looked on, smiling. After a hundred sheets of paper and two and a half pens, I verbally shared with them what I had written. And to my surprise, they were all delighted after I had finished.
“We love the title, Henery,” mother Alice said. “How You Can Learn To Read And Write Just Like I Did.”
The family of twenty-six letters clapped as I cried like a newborn baby. It was a memorable moment I’d never forget.
The End.
Thank you for taking the time to acknowledge my offering. May all you deserve and desire flow abundantly into your life, as a river does into a sea.
Remember. I’m not here to convince you to believe. I’m here to offer you something else to consider.
May we never lose our desire to outdo what we’ve already done.
Continue to be a lighthouse for all those who feel lost in the sea of life.
Peace, Love, and the utmost Respect.