My Short Stories

Relax and Be Different

The streets were filled with people. Either walking left or right, they had places to be, jobs to do. The word "relax" meant nothing to them. What only kept their mind going is work, money, work, money, and so on. They never interacted with anyone but themselves. Coffee was the only thing they'll always drink. They know when to leave, when to stay, what to do, and where to go. Ah yes, these people work so hard to keep their world running, they have no time at all to spend it with others. 

"You know big sis," a little boy spoke, looking out at the giant window, sky cloudy and dull as raindrops fell. "When I grow up, I wanna be just like poppa! He always types away on his computer a lot and drinks lots of that dark juice. I bet it tastes good!" He smiled as he looked at his sister.

Said big sister was on the couch reading a book that was almost too big for her size and too many words for her to understand. "That sounds great, little brother. When I grow up, I wanna be just like mama. She knows almost everything about the world and does everything so quickly! I think she might the smartest person to ever live." She turned her eyes away from the pages and looked at her brother. 


"I can't wait to grow up and be just like them!" Both siblings said together as they dreamed of their future. 


A soft but kind chuckle was heard in the house as both siblings turned to look at the rocking chair. "You two have very big dreams about your future, you know?" The old lady spoke as she looked at a family picture frame she was holding. The brother tilted his head confused. "Of course we do, memaw. Our parents are very hard workers." The sister nodded her head in agreement, "We want to be just as successful as them. That's why once we grow up, we'll do the exact same thing."


The old lady hummed a bit, then spoke. "Come here, my grandchildren." Both siblings looked at before going to their grandmother, both sitting on her lap. "There are many other things to do than just doing the same thing over and over again." She rocked the chair slowly as she spoke. "What other things, memaw?" The brother asked. "Well, with the world that we live in now, people never take a break from what they do. They all keep on working as hard as they can, never bothering to look at something else or do something different." 


"But that's because they have to keep working so they can be better like momma and poppa do," the sister intervened as she was a bit confused. "Yes, they do have to work for a purpose but answer me this. Would you like to do the same thing over and over again? With no breaks and no free time?" The brother and sister thought about this until the brother spoke, "Well, I like eating chocolate pudding while drawing, but I don't think I'll like to do it every day. I wanna play with my sister as well." Then the sister spoke, "True, I always solve my class problems first and I will always get good grades on my tests. But I don't think I'll like it every time. I kind of feel bad for those who are struggling with problems."


"Well, there you have it. It isn't really fun doing things you like over and over again. It's not that you always have to do the same thing all the time, nor is it you have to be better. It's always good to at least try and do something different. It's also a good thing to relax for a while. Follow my lead," The grandma spoke as she then closed her eyes, the siblings following as well.


"Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and exhale slowly." She said as she did these exact steps. Although a bit hesitant, the sister and brother did the exact same thing. They breathed in and out slowly, a wave of relaxation and relief flowing throughout their bodies. The three did it a couple more times before opening their eyes. "Wow," The sister spoke, "I feel almost... Light! As if everything just washed away." The brother giggled as he raised his arms out in excitement, "Me too! I feel so bright and lots of energy going through me!" The grandma then chuckled as she looked at them, smiling. "I'm glad you both like it. That is what it feels like to take a step back and relax for a bit. Open your mind and don't let anything in the world distract you."


Both siblings smiled at each other, then the brother spoke, "We should teach this to mom and dad! I'm sure they'll love it!" "I'm sure of it too, but I'm not so sure that they'll have enough time since they're so busy... I wish they did have enough time, maybe even for us," the sister sighed as she looked down, "Memaw, do you think momma and poppa will listen to what we've learned?" The grandmother sighed before smiling. "I'm sure they'll listen to you both. You're their children anyway. I'm sure the time will come when they'll finally listen."


Both siblings smiled before hopping off from their grandmother's lap. "I'm gonna go see what other stuff we can do, come on big sis!" The little brother said as he laughed, running off. "Wait for me!" the older sister shouted as she grinned, chasing after her brother.


The grandmother lets out a low sigh before focusing on the picture frame she held. "I'm sure they'll both make a great difference." She smiled as she looked at what appeared to be a family photo. Both mother and father were smiling as a young girl, who was smiling, held a baby boy in her arms. The background of the picture was clear skies, beautiful flowers, and the sun shining brightly.