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Discover weekly, the best short stories

Looking for a steady supply of inspirational short stories? Every week thousands of writers submit stories to our writing contest.

6090+ Inspirational Short Stories to read

Submitted by writers on Reedsy Prompts to our weekly writing contest. From tales of the miraculous to stories of extraordinary people overcoming incredible odds, you’ll always find something uplifting in our collection of inspirational short stories.

Inspirational Short Stories – Page 361 of 407

Akhtem Kurbanov

Submitted to Contest #75

There was something about the night that the dead loved. Something about the cold and dark that got them excited and made them come out of their hiding places to play. Akhtem didn't know what it was, but all he knew was that he liked it too. Wearing his coat over his waistcoat and walking in the dark with his walking stick in hand gave him more pleasure than any orgasm could. To most people, it was just a chilling night in November, but to Akhtem, it was a night to work. There was one more thing about the dark he loved; the dead. Around hi...

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A new path

Submitted to Contest #75

On the night of New Year’s Eve Simone sat alone at the London city airport. The next flight was scheduled for the next morning, but everything was better than being in the house she grew up in. It felt like a new beginning, and she vowed to herself that she would never come back to England.The airport was empty, and no shops were opened. She had never seen an airport like that and found it calming. After all she went through it felt good to have a bit of time to reflect on what happened during the last year. She was sitting right next to a b...

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The Soft Drink of 1886

Submitted to Contest #75

I had many new year’s resolution in the past. Most of them did not last too long. I was too scared, lacked motivation, was too lazy, procrastinated, wanted to stay in my comfort zone or simply, I did not care after some weeks into the new year. I just wanted to get back into my old habits. As a kid, almost all of us, we get acquainted to candies, snacks, pastries, cookies, gum, etc. All the sugary stuff. It starts young. Halloween and trick or treat do not help. Holidays likes Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas does not help the cause eith...

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Lemon Drizzle

Submitted to Contest #75

“Mum, I promise I'll pay attention to the taste of every food that goes in my mouth from now on” Amy said as she picked up the spoon her mum gave her. “I'm so happy you are getting better honey” she said stroking her daughter's hair. “I missed tasting things so much. I missed smelling too but eating cake was not the same when I couldn't taste it” Amy said, as she licked the cake batter from the spoon with a trance like stare. Susan smiled looking at her daughter. She had never seen her eating and appreciating something so much. It had ...

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One Sugar Cube, Please!

Submitted to Contest #75

Smita was restless, quietly gazing at the silent city, which otherwise bustles with people and machines, tightly clenching the file in her lap. As Jay drove the car through the empty streets, he noticed his mom’s silence and decided to break the ice; “Have you decided anything on what to answer if asked for this year’s resolution?” Smita sighed and nodded a no and the two went silent again. They reached the radio station at 6 AM on the “Good Morning Mumbai” show, Smita was going to be interviewed today, on 1st January 2021. Slowly, people ...

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The Moon on a Stick

Submitted to Contest #75

When I saw this Reedsy prompt, I decided I would tell the tale of how I became a writer.I was seven years old when my father, Tom, got a promotion and my mother, Debbie, told my sister and me that we would be moving to Hamley Court. Kelly took the news typically stoically, her only concern being whether that would mean her having to change schools. After Debbie reassured her, my mother began describing the house. Interior decorating plans were of no interest to me, but my ears pricked up at the mention of a garden. I had questions.“Does this...

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Someone given a second chance, is someone given a chance to be reborn

Submitted to Contest #75

I cannot recall what was happening in my head when I decided to sell my pastry goods caravan so that I can have enough money to build an NGO Center. All I know is that the day she walked up to buy at my caravan, my life changed. I walked up to her as the waitress was taking her order, my eyes explored her and were welcomed by new bruises, newer than the ones from last Thursday when she had sprinted up to me for the third time as I was locking up. A black Audi SUV had pulled up and a man silhouette emerged. She had hid behind the caravan. He ...

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SEEKING HELP

Submitted to Contest #75

Lokesh was searching for a document which he thought he had kept in the drawer. It was needed urgently in connection with approval of his plans for widening of his Lottery Ticket shop. While pulling out things from the drawer, he got an old letter folded into four flaps. He knew what it was. Still, out of curiosity he opened the letter and ran a cursory glance over the contents. It was a letter written by him to a cinema star Sonu Sood, though he did not post it. Thank God! He did not send it to the star. He felt quite ashamed now to have wr...

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The countdown

Submitted to Contest #75

        TW: Self harm Addiction I didn’t think I would survive this year long enough to hear an entire countdown.                “10”                I honestly thought I would be dead right now. Not in a gloomy sad way, just in a logical science-ey way. Through my many endeavors with mental illness, through the plague that spread like water, through my...

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The Resolve

Submitted to Contest #75

Tara sat all alone in the woods, head bowed. The anguish in her heart kept tugging at her soul until she shook violently, tears flowing freely like a river without boundaries. Mother Nature appears to sympathize with her as trees released leaves on her frail skin. The feel of them was so comforting. Like she was hit by something, she jolted. “I have had enough!, I choose to take charge of my life. I choose to rewrite my life story from zero to hero henceforth. I choose to live life on my terms. My dreams and aspirations are  taking ro...

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Between Failures and Conquering of Resolutions

Submitted to Contest #75

             Could it be sealed as a stigma of indolence and lethargy that Prof. Vijay Kumar lost or suffered a gross failure during the years between 1972 to 1981 when almost ten resolutions were Made probably without strong will power without actual realization. The truth is that a resolution Had not been made in the true sense of the word. For ten years I did nothing at all. I had become a person without even a dot of confidence. “ I cannot get a GUIDE. There is none in this...

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Old resolutions and new Life

Submitted to Contest #75

This year marks the end of an era. The era where I was struggling with the side effects of nicotine patch and the withdrawal symptoms, falling off a wagon and then trying back. The vicious cycle where I was a miserable chap desperate for a fix. At the start of the lockdown, I was terrified to my core, my determination will not help. In all these years, I was able to reduce the number but still not where I want to. My partner always helped me, encouraged me. My rock solid inspiration, unlike me, determined and above all had faith in me. I, on...

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Who am I?

Submitted to Contest #75

Hello there. My name is Candy Marvoulyn, a tenth grader at west wood high and it’s been a week since I got back from the hospital. I was in an accident and apparently it was bad. “apparently” you ask. Well,you see my friend. I can’t remember anything besides the things my mother told me. People tell me that it’s for the best that I don’t know what happened to me but, I’m really curious to know why. What happened to me and why was it so bad? “Candy, is something wrong?” my mother asks with a clear look of concern. i didn’t know if I could ans...

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The Longest Journey Begins with a Single Step

Submitted to Contest #75

The Longest Journey Begins with a Single Step  These days the phrase ‘reinvent yourself’ is bandied about. There are endless self-help books and blogs which argue that it is possible to leave your old life behind and start a completely new one. Fiona Harrold’s book, ‘Reinvent Yourself’ sets out seven steps to reinvent yourself. You have to ask yourself, ‘who are you now, who do you want to be, be authentic, what do you want, fake it, look the part and finally, move on’. These books are very valuable and they certainly help some people...

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Speaking to Silence

Submitted to Contest #75

new moon: new yearWords, words, words. The ones I think, the ones I am thinking, about her. She has been the only person I have spoken to, but not through these-forms of written language. Language is bordered and hesitant, probably a trickster if you hear it from me. Words and I, we go way back, before even the tiniest bacterium swam the seas. (You wouldn’t believe how talkative trees are) People, they are fairly new to us, but it is quite an achievement for her, being the only human I’ve ever spoken to. And my, did she have a lot to say“So,...

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RBE | Illustrated Short Stories | 2024-06

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