Write a creative nonfiction piece about something you're grateful for.

Posted in Nonfiction on Jul 26, 2024

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✍️ 69 stories

“This Body of Mine ” by Rachel Williams

Submitted to Contest #261

cw: this story contains subjects regarding mental health, self harm, eating disorders and body image issues. As someone who hit another major decade last year, the (once) dreaded 30s, there are many aspects of my life that I am grateful for. I could talk for days about the endless support I have received from my now tight knit group of girlfriends who are always at the end of a phone if needed. I could mention the health of my family, the fact that my parents are still with me when so many around me have grieved the loss of a loved one. I c...

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“Portraits of Delight” by William Tate

Submitted to Contest #261

Portraits of delight! Oh, to squat down beside the second-to-last shelf of a midwest gift shop. A score of metal frogs of screw and nail with wild whimsy faces dwell here. They hold crude instruments and make up the members of a slipshod toadstool band. Their phillips head eyes and wire-bent arms holding cellos, trumpets, drums, and flutes of hex nuts and washers. One must imagine them playing chrome canticles for the royal courts of Midleaf Valley, or steel-pan jigs in the old saloons of Stained Glass Gorge. Perhaps their patrons reward th...

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“Gratitude Mapping for Dummies” by Even Andrews

Submitted to Contest #261

I lay the posterboard on the table in preparation to plot my gratitude map. I contemplate what topics I want to include to best describe what I appreciate about my life. After much thought, I write down in the center the word gratitude. Next, I write my wife and daughter near the top. I spread out other topics on my posterboard that includes my military career, college experience, time in Japan, the states I have lived in, the schools I have attended, the individual experiences most don’t get an opportunity to, and my successes and fail...

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“Beyond Thankful” by Vatoyia Gardner

Submitted to Contest #261

It was the weekend before Valentine’s Day in 2002. The country was still in mourning over the events of 9/11. The new security protocols at the airport were frightening but necessary. One week before taking a flight to spend the weekend with my husband, I had a vivid dream. I don’t read too much into dreams, but because of the state of the country and my personal situation of my husband being deployed stateside, I was on high alert. In the dream, I was at the airport and missed the flight I should have taken.&nb...

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“A Bold Move ” by Mari Avalon

Submitted to Contest #261

I received the call on my son’s 16th birthday. My kids had both been accepted to an amazing charter school…in Florida. My husband and I both grew up in South Florida, and he especially, was yearning to return to the Sunshine State. We’d had long-term plans of helping in the expansion of a family business…but those plans weren’t ready to be actualized yet. Meanwhile, our situation in Georgia had become a bit dire. We have raised our kids as homeschoolers, blessed with a local homeschool community, and lots of outdoor learning opportunitie...

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“Comfort in a friend.” by Elsabe De Walt

Submitted to Contest #261

In 2006, I was told I needed to know how to swim. As a four-year-old, I was scared to death. The only interaction I had back then was when I had to bathe. I stood in my swimming gear, shaking like a Chihuahua, and stared into the depths of a fiery void, beating rhythmic chants for the naïve to leap into. I wrapped my towel tightly around myself, seeing it as a protective layer to prevent harm.I wrapped my towel tighter. It was the only layer of protection I had, providing enough warmth to trick my body into thinking it was safe.Suddenl...

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“All I'll Ever Need” by Raquel White

Submitted to Contest #261

The island stools were best located when sliding them to the side of the marble counter. In this position, I could turn to watch the latest pre-recorded episode of Pretty Little Liars on the living room tv, see outside the sliding glass door, and enjoy something to eat. I just had to put them back and wipe away any evidence of me being there before mom returned, which could be any day now. Mom was on another extended trip in Boise, but it was an ingrained habit to leave no trace. Besides, even though it was over a 10 hour drive from Ukiah, ...

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“Passion and Gratitude” by William Siebold

Submitted to Contest #261

“Sixth grade,” I said. “Twelve years old.” Outside it was cold. A gray, relentlessly dismal rain fell. I watched out the window, enjoyed the misery of the day. It matched my on-going depression. “Mr. Moore’s social studies class. In the old annex. Droning voice. Sagging shoulders. Dismay.” Teaching as defeated as the failing building, I thought. The coffee at the Cafe Caliphate was the best. Rich and aromatic. Hot, black coffee in a substantial ceramic mug. I savored the touch and taste. “There was an old analog kind of clock, remember ...

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“Psychology is everywhere!” by Gisela Boderke

Submitted to Contest #261

To embark in a relationship after a whole life of singleness is taking me to write this prompt of introspection of my relationship in the present moment, aided through the lens of psychology and its deeper layers of understanding.The practice of gratitude is a wonderful thing; it is part of the believe systems all over the world. Deep gratitude is manifesting a dynamic energy and will promote more positive energy for us, around us; that's the general understanding of the energies of gratitude as I understand it. It is also embraced by Psycho...

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Write a creative nonfiction piece about something you're grateful for.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 69 stories

“This Body of Mine ” by Rachel Williams

“Portraits of Delight” by William Tate

“Gratitude Mapping for Dummies” by Even Andrews

“Beyond Thankful” by Vatoyia Gardner

“A Bold Move ” by Mari Avalon

“Comfort in a friend.” by Elsabe De Walt

“All I'll Ever Need” by Raquel White

“Passion and Gratitude” by William Siebold

“Psychology is everywhere!” by Gisela Boderke

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story about a character trying to find a way to express their gratitude to someone.

Write a story about a cynic who has been told to start a "gratitude journal," and does so — begrudgingly.

Write a story about an unsung hero.

Write a story in the form of a series of thank you cards.

Contest #261

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

303

Contest entries

97

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: