As Christmas draws near, Susanna Leonard Hill's annual Holiday Contest brings a feeling of normalcy to a not quite normal year. This year's theme is Holiday Helpers, and it is with great joy that I share my story entry about finding joy in difficult circumstances by helping someone else.
So without further ado, here is my story 245 word story:
Finding Joy!
Tina watched snowflakes dance across the living room window. But when a large flake splatted the pane with force and melted into nothingness, a tear escaped and ran down the side of her face. Christmas was near, but there would be no baking cookies with Nana. Nana wouldn’t be knitting Tina a new pair of mittens. And Nana wouldn’t be singing Away in a Manger off key. Nana was in heaven.
Tina was about to head to her room when she saw her neighbor, Mrs. Puffin, slip on some ice. Celery flew, apples rolled, and a jar of pickles shattered.
“Mom,” Tina shouted as she grabbed her coat. “I’m going to help Mrs. Puffin.”
Tina flew across the street. “Are you all right?” she asked.
Mrs. Puffin struggled to sit up. “I don’t think anything’s broken.”
Tina helped her into the house before running back out to gather up the groceries. “I think you should probably throw out the pickles,” she said when she returned.
Mrs. Puffin smiled. “No worries. Why don’t I make us some cocoa?”
Tina followed Mrs. Puffin to the kitchen. As they sat sipping, Mrs. Puffin said, “My granddaughter can’t get home for Christmas this year. I don’t suppose you’d want to help me bake cookies?”
Tina nodded like a bobble head snowman. She’d heard her own sadness mirrored in Mrs. Puffin’s voice. But somehow she knew that she and Mrs. Puffin could comfort each other, and this made her smile.