“It was a dark and stormy night.”

The first time I read A Wrinkle in Time as a child, and got to the part when Charles, the youngest, was worried and couldn’t sleep, so he got up to make hot chocolate, my world was rocked. Everyone got up in the middle of the night, drank hot chocolate, and discussed what was going on, as a family, together.

I was bewildered. I’d never heard of such a thing. If something was bothering me in the middle of the night I most certainly did not get up and make hot chocolate. And my parents absolutely did not get up to have a meaningful discussion about what was troubling me, and how best to make it better. Undoubtedly because the word ‘divorce’ would be brought up repeatedly. Also; stop saying mean things to small children. Or at least it should have been.

I thought my life was pretty normal; somewhat sucky. Some people had it worse; and got smacked around, some people had it better; and had pools. I was somewhere in the middle; shouting matches and name calling, but no hitting. And no pool.

But this. This was a whole new world. Could it be possible that families could actually like each other? That spending time together was the goal as opposed to something to be suffered through by all involved? Disgusted looks and hurtful words replaced by forehead kisses and voluntary hugs?

Was I supposed to believe then, that somewhere in the world, people would smile, happily utter the words; 'I’m so glad to be home safe and sound' and mean it?

Something to look into anyway.


This was my response to a prompt from the wonderful Trifecta.


The word this week was;
safe adj \ˈsāf\

1 free from harm or risk : unhurt

2 a: secure from threat of danger, harm, or loss
b: successful at getting to a base in baseball without being put out

3 affording safety or security from danger, risk, or difficulty

4 obsolete of mental or moral faculties : healthy, sound

Third definition as always.
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