What makes me feel happy

October 25, 2006 at 6:00 pm (October)

I wanted to practice writing with some of the students I tutor.  I gave three of them this writing prompt:  What makes you feel happy? 

These are pieces of their responses: 

Luis: “Sometimes I am happy because when I haven’t eaten, NPH gives me food.” 

Chico X:  “There are some people that make me feel happy.  First, my sister because she is my only family. I like to share with her and the others who have never abandoned me. My best friends Henrique, Lucas, Elicabet and Carlos also make me feel happy.” 

(our family knows this boy very well.  Lucas and Heny call him their best friend too.  Both of his parents were murdered.  His mother was a prostitute and the father was her pimp.  After the mother’s death he went to live with his Aunt who disciplined him and his sister by holding their heads under water. Gosh, it is going to be awful to say goodbye to this boy next summer. He is a sweetheart…always smiling and laughing with us.) 

Emerson:  “When I was with my mother she made me feel very happy because she counseled me and taught me to read.  Then one day she said she was going to the market and never came home. For months and months she did not call.  One day she called from the
United States and I talked to her.  I felt very happy that she was well.”