Write about a time you approached a situation with one strong feeling or belief, only to have your perspective shift completely by the end.

Posted in Nonfiction on Nov 8, 2024

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✍️ 42 stories

“The Social Worker” by Helen A Smith

Submitted to Contest #276

The Social WorkerNames and places have been changed. Some who played a part in this are not included, but in essence this is a true story.Whatever I was expecting, Mrs Lauren wasn’t it. An older woman, well spoken, with not a hair out of place, wearing heels and a power suit, she didn’t fit my image of a typical social worker, whatever that was. The first time I saw her; I didn’t think she’d be much help.***A voice called from the half-open door where my favourite teacher Mrs Swanson was conferring with the school secretary.“A quick word, He...

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“Entertaining Arthur” by Howard Halsall

Submitted to Contest #276

Yesterday’s Christmas family gathering felt like a year ago as I waited for Arthur in a soggy meadow, wrapped in my new woolly hat and scarf. My father once described Arthur as an eighty-year-old jazz fan whose eventful life read like a boys-own adventure book of twentieth century history. He had a lifetime’s worth of exploits and wasn’t shy about recounting untold anecdotes. I admit Arthur was amusing, it’s just that I questioned everything when I was thirteen-years-old. I thought his stories were far-fetched and made the mistake of sa...

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“Christmas in Lockdown” by Marty B

Submitted to Contest #276

I had one job, and I had to get it done, failure was not an option. With only two days to go, I had to get the impossible-to-find gift by Christmas Eve, or I would ruin a 4-year-olds Christmas. My family goes crazy over getting Christmas gifts, every year we all scramble for the perfect gift, and usually at the last minute. And I get it, presents are an amazing and heartfelt way to show how I care about those I love. I remember the light in the eyes of my kids when they first saw the brightly lit Christmas tree, with colorful wra...

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“Twisted” by John K Adams

Submitted to Contest #276

My father and I had a complicated relationship. He had a family with four children to raise. I was the third son. From my narrow perspective, I felt like an also ran.A good provider, we were always housed, fed and clothed. We lacked for nothing material. But Dad always did things his way, in his time. He was an entrepreneur. When opportunities arose, he took them. The family followed. He saw many opportunities. We moved often. Dad planned to move the summer before I entered seventh grade. He listed the house for sale without telling our moth...

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“Put It On My Tab!” by Kay Smith

Submitted to Contest #276

I met him when I was twenty.I dropped out of high school ran and away from home at sixteen.I got married at seventeen. By nineteen, I had two young daughters.I was a collection of banal statistics.My husband, Jim, had hair that hung straight down his back, parted in the middle; the color, two drastically different tones. You could catch him walking hurriedly across campus clad in vertically striped bell bottoms, an old t-shirt, and no shoes. He wore square, green-tinted, ironic little gl...

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“Candy Thriller ” by Patrick Druid

Submitted to Contest #276

Candy Thriller When I was about 11 years old, I was paying my weekly visit to my Dad and today he took a childhood friend of mine, named Bud and I to the movies for some cheap entertainment. Bud and I had been friends since grade school and we both liked going to the movies especially during those days when the slasher films were pretty much the thing. We both climbed into Dad's beat up,old green Nova, with the ceiling cover that was sagging in the center, and headed south to the theater near Antioch. I always got a thrill watching th...

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“Kaleidoscope” by Kim Olson

Submitted to Contest #276

I have always believed that holidays have colors. Thanksgiving, which is rapidly approaching, is a bright yellow, vibrant orange, deep green, rich brown, and sometimes a muted gold – the colors of vegetables spilling out of a cornucopia, also known as a “horn of plenty.” The colors are many and varied, but they are all in the autumnal family. The colors are reflected in my Thanksgiving decorations. These are the things I pull out every year in late October/early November – my yellow patterned tablecloth with turkeys on it, a welcome mat...

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“Team Building” by Webb Johnson

Submitted to Contest #276

Team Building As the workday dragged to a close, my phone pinged with a text message: “Bob. Stop by my office before you leave.” I couldn’t resist punching the air with a triumphant “Yes”! before striding from my bullpen cubicle to the Director of Marketing’s glass-walled office. Keeping his phone at his ear, the Big Man beamed a welcoming smile and motioned toward a chair in front of his desk. I walked in and sat as he concluded the call. We indulged in a minute of everyday chitchat. He praised my work and asked me to say hello to my...

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“Lost and Found #reedsyencounter” by Jason Mcconahey

Submitted to Contest #276

Life in the closet was never easy, I hid myself from the world and I hated myself because of what, who I was. The world seemed so scary, so scary in fact that I’ve never told anyone about who I really was. Growing up in a strict Christian household didn’t help much either. The church told me God thought people like me were an abomination, something that was against nature. I was unnatural, something that was undeserving of Gods love. Hearing these things all my life I pushed parts of me down, so far down into my subconscious that I w...

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“The Photograph” by Charlotte Morse

Submitted to Contest #276

They originated from India, the lowest caste, the untouchables even there when they left a thousand years ago to begin their search for a better world, a world of acceptance and integration. Though nothing for them has changed, not even here in France where the motto ‘Liberty, Equality, Fraternity’ supposedly exists. Not a single one of those numerous countries they travelled through on their way ever learnt who they were or who they could be. And I wonder how many people have really tried to understand their ways, to see them as beautiful p...

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“The Day the Rabbit Died” by Susan Catucci

Submitted to Contest #276

Mom and Dad:I have been thinking about what you said and I want to present my argument to you in writing so I don’t miss any of the points I think are really important. I know I’m only 12 but I believe what I’m arguing is right and I hope you see that.I am the youngest in this family and I’ve only had 12 years of Easter baskets. That means that Rob and Scott will have more years of Easter baskets than I will. It’s not fair to just cut off Easter baskets and I get gypped because Dad thinks we’re too old. I’m not. No one asked me what I though...

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“I Used To Think That Trust Is Overrated” by Emily Pollan

Submitted to Contest #276

Friendship and trust is something I’ve been weary of for a long time now. As a kid, I cherished my friends. I’d go above and beyond for them. But some saw that as something to toy around with, and others saw it as a weakness. Eventually, friendships would start with them saying “you can trust me, I promise,” and end with me saying, “I thought you promised.” By seventh grade, the words “you can trust me” were an immediate deal breaker. The second a friend uttered those words to me, I would stack layers upon layers of uneven bricks around myse...

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“Old Dog, New Beginnings” by Tyler Basti

Submitted to Contest #276

I put on my satin lilac maid of honor dress as I cautiously avoided getting mascara on it, along with the rest of my face. This is not how I thought I would be feeling the day of my best friend’s wedding. I pictured this day to be full of excitement, happy tears, and maybe even a subtle nod at my boyfriend to what could be us one day. What I did not picture was me getting ready alone, tear streams adorning my makeup, and no boyfriend in sight. It was your typical “I didn’t see it coming” situation, although apparently he saw it very clearly ...

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“Cry Me A River” by Alex Harbort

Submitted to Contest #276

Mom lets go of my hand as our house comes into sight, the sun hiding behind the pointy, black roof, right above the triangular window that’s always open because Dad likes it cold. A familiar sight. Goosebumps on my arms.“Don’t tell Dad you already ate, he made dinner.”, Mom says, taking out her bundle of keys and searching for the right one.“Do I have to eat it though?”, I ask.“Of course.”We’re greeted by a dim, warm light and lively chatter as Mom pushes the door open. I wait, let her go first, then follow right behind her into a different ...

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“Catching Flies!” by Arthur McNamee

Submitted to Contest #276

“Don’t overextend or hyperflex your left knee!” Melissa Reynolds thought, as the loud race gun sounded at the start of Sunken Meadow State Park’s grueling three mile cross country Season Opener. Dr. Thompson’s stern voice and warning still reverberated in her ears as she gingerly headed out on this course. He had performed two surgeries on her left knee already and cautioned about a third if she wasn’t careful. The last thing Melissa wanted to do was to ‘blow out” her left knee again and have to undergo another eight months of painful and gr...

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Write about a time you approached a situation with one strong feeling or belief, only to have your perspective shift completely by the end.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 42 stories

“The Social Worker” by Helen A Smith

“Entertaining Arthur” by Howard Halsall

“Christmas in Lockdown” by Marty B

“Twisted” by John K Adams

“Put It On My Tab!” by Kay Smith

“Candy Thriller ” by Patrick Druid

“Kaleidoscope” by Kim Olson

“Team Building” by Webb Johnson

“Lost and Found #reedsyencounter” by Jason Mcconahey

“The Photograph” by Charlotte Morse

“The Day the Rabbit Died” by Susan Catucci

“I Used To Think That Trust Is Overrated” by Emily Pollan

“Old Dog, New Beginnings” by Tyler Basti

“Cry Me A River” by Alex Harbort

“Catching Flies!” by Arthur McNamee

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about an encounter with someone new to you who changed your life forever.

Write about a date you went on that took an unexpected turn.

Write about something you do now that has become routine, but that the old you — or friends and family from your past — would never believe if they couldn’t witness it today with their own eyes.

Write about a relationship or friendship that was unexpected or so outside your usual type that you kept it a secret from your loved ones. (Bonus points if it didn’t stay secret for long!)

Contest #276

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

230

Contest entries

110

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: