My mom named me after the woman who sponsored my family to come to the US in the late 1950s. This woman was married to a man who owned an oil company. They had four boys, the youngest one was about the same age as my brother who was three years old at the time.Continue reading “The Story Behind My Name”
Author Archives: cultureshortfiction.wordpress.com
Vela Patria writes short general fiction stories about characters from different parts of the world. Her stories deal with everyday people who encounter life changing situations.
Assess and Renew
The back-to-school season is quickly approaching us in many regions of the United States. This brings a brand-new start for some students and a continuation for others. I am told by a friend that this is the month of Elul, the last month of the Jewish year. It is a time for reflection of one’sContinue reading “Assess and Renew”
Reading for Pleasure
One habit that I enjoy daily is reading for pleasure. During the course of the day, I read quite a bit. For school, there is obligatory reading which I mostly enjoy. Then during my study breaks, I read for fun. This summer, I am participating in an adult reading list, sponsored by our local library.Continue reading “Reading for Pleasure”
Detours
Orange Detour sign on sidewalk
A Daily Swim
Every morning, after meditation and gentle stretching, I head over to our local indoor pool. I enjoy my morning swim and seeing familiar faces. There are a few of us “regulars” who come every day about the same time. We share the same theory; it is best to do exercise first thing in the morning.Continue reading “A Daily Swim”
Transitions
Transitions are everywhere. Embraced by cultures across the world. Traditions for celebrating changes. A new birth, adolescence, oncoming adulthood. Marriages, new families, a move to a new place. A new school, a new job or a new career. A retirement. Every living being changes and grows. From tadpole, to froglet, from roe to fish. FromContinue reading “Transitions”
Made by Adversity
Recently I visited my local library and happened upon a couple of rock collections. But not just any rock collection, a mineral and geological specimens’ collection. These had been donated to the library in the 1940’s and 1950’s. There was a lot of granite, there was rose quartz, and even malachite. As I gazed atContinue reading “Made by Adversity”
No More Alarms
I have stopped using an alarm clock for about nine years now. In answering today’s daily prompt, I currently go to bed between 8pm and 9:30pm during the weekdays. The exception is Sunday night when I go to bed around 12am if I have not yet finished my homework. I wake up about 7 hoursContinue reading “No More Alarms”
The Value of Being Still
For several months now, I have been practicing being still. As soon as I am awake, I sit still and just listen. I listen to the birds singing. I listen to the quiet of the morning. I listen to the loud bursts of bustling. No matter what I hear, I lay still and just listen.Continue reading “The Value of Being Still”
The Culture of Legacy
We all want our lives to have impact. We want posterity to remember us fondly. We can leave behind a financial inheritance, the remnants of kindness, or the imprint of unconditional love. I remember our sixth-grade class had a tradition to leave a “last will and testament” for the fifth graders soon to take ourContinue reading “The Culture of Legacy”
Vela Patria 