PHOTO PROMPT © Jennifer Pendergast
Bundled up, Jake sat outside and watched a thin, pink sunrise of Christmas morning.
“Another Merry Christmas to the world,” he said raising a cup of coffee to his lips. “Wonder how many more I’ll get to see?”
At seventy-eight, his bones ached more than he wished, especially after having been up all night. “Guess I’d better get ready to visit the grandkids.”
He stood and smiled at the memory. It was his eleventh year of passing out blankets, food, and coffee to the growing number of homeless in his hometown. “God be willing, I’ll do it again next year.”
It’s Wednesday and time again to participate in Rochelle Wisoff-Fields 27 December 2024 edition of Friday Fictioneers. The idea is to use the image above as the prompt for crafting a poem or short story no more than 100 words long. My word count is exactly 100.
I don’t celebrate Christmas for number of reasons, but I’m not unmindful of the good sentiments associated with it. With that in mind, the above-story pretty much flowed out. I have heard of a few people over the years who (not necessarily on Christmas) pass out blankets, food, and drink to the homeless and it seemed an appropriate theme for this week.
The Bible has a few things to say about it:
“Share your food with the hungry and open your homes to the homeless poor. Give clothes to those who have nothing to wear, and do not refuse to help your own relatives” -Isaiah 58:7-11
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me” -Matthew 25:35-40
For those of you who do celebrate, Merry Christmas. Peace on Earth and good will to all.
Oh, the first night of Chanukah begins tonight at sunset.
To read other stories based on the prompt, visit inlinkz.
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A life well-lived
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Yes, it is. Thanks.
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Nice feelgood holiday story, James. I’m sure those who receive the goods appreciate them.
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No doubt. Thanks.
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You’re welcome.
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is is just plain AWESOME! LOVE IT! In the past, we’ve done similar things, serving at the homeless shelter’s Christmas Dinner. This year, without transportation, we weren’t able to and it felt not so good. We missed the joy and sense of love there. Hope you are having a wonderful Christmukkah… as everyone is calling this year1 🙂 ❤
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Thanks, Bon.
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What a wonderful soul this man is!
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Agreed.
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😊
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a very positive Christmas story…
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Thank you.
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Wonderful. Makes me feel I should do Christmas differently.
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Perhaps we all should. Thanks.
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No one should have to spend Christmas passing out supplies to homeless people because no one should be homeless. It blows my mind that the richest country in the world with however many billionaires allows people to live on the streets. If only more people, myself included, had the goodness to be so giving of themselves. Good story.
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Thanks. I think my protagonist is less concerned by what should and shouldn’t be than just doing a little something to make the world a better place.
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