Author: Diane Chartrand

A WORLD THAT HAS LOST ALL COLOUR (Diane Chartrand)

~ Diane Chartrand ~ Leave a comment

Mary got out of bed and when she turned into the kitchen all her beautiful plates and cups were grey. She couldn’t believe what happened to all the beautiful reds, greens, and blues.

She called for her son to come. When he went into the kitchen and asked her what she wanted Mary showed him the dishes.

“Mom, did you also see the walls are grey and the floors?”

Disturbed by his comments, Mary looked around and saw he was right. The two went out the back door and saw the grass wasn’t green and all her beautiful flowers were also grey.

“Oh my,” Mary said. “It seems that the entire world, at least ours, has lost all its colour.”

Mary’s son went into the house and came back with his laptop. He turned it on and immediately saw an articlethat said, “Sad day. The entire world has lost all colour. Everywhere only the colour grey is present.”

Mary wondered what that could mean. Is the world about to end or has something taken over the atmosphere that caused this change.

“Mom the article says they think this is happening because there is too much sadness in the world.”

Mary thought about that but how could that be true. She didn’t understand how sadness would remove the colour in the entire world. She hoped it had to be something chemical that was causing this change.

COFFEE AND INK (Diane Chartrand)

~ Diane Chartrand ~ 1 Comment

It was now January, and the weather had turned cold, so I headed to the local Tim Horton’s to get a much-needed coffee and something to eat.

The crowded tables were filled with several customers slowly sipping coffee and writing something in a notebook with a Paper-Mate style pen.

I was now curious about what kind of things they might be writing in their notebooks, but I hadn’t yet gotten up the courage to ask.

Finally, not able to wait any longer, I walked over to a woman who looked about thirty with short blonde hair and dressed in attire for an office and said, “If I’m not being too nosey, would you be willing to tell me what you’re writing about in your notebook?”

The woman looked up at me and said, “Sure. It’s just my journal, and every day when I have my coffee break, I sit here quietly and write about all the things that happened yesterday.”

“So why do you come here to write instead of at home after work?”

“Well, life is pretty busy at my house during the evenings as I have five children and a husband who needs my attention more,” the woman replied.

“Well, thank you for talking with me,” I said, returning to my seat where I had left my coffee and notebook.

That was interesting. Now, I’m even more curious about several others, especially the men, as I don’t believe they would be writing journal entries.

I sat and wrote in my notebook about my talk with the woman, then decided there seemed to be more to this concept. I got up after gaining enough courage to talk to one of the men in the room.

I approached a man with silver streaks in his short, nicely groomed hair and said, “Excuse me, but could I be so bold as to ask what you’re writing about in your notebook?”

He looked at me with a large grin on his face and said, “I’m writing a letter to my wife, who is away on a business trip in Japan for the month.”

Curious now, I asked, “Why don’t you just e-mail your wife or talk to her on the phone?”

“I find it more intriguing to write long letters to her, being able to share all my love in a manner she can see over and over as many times as she wants instead of just a quick casual moment in life,” he replied.

“That’s an interesting way to put it,” I thanked him for his time and honesty.

Returning back to my table I took a sip of my coffee, which had now turned cold. I concluded that people had found a unique way to share their coffee with their ink.

For me, this would be a great way to write down short stories or ideas that I could use to develop a complete story for a book. The bonus is that I get to have coffee and a quiet place to enjoy doing it.

For all who are stuck with their writing or just want to journal or write letters to others, I recommend buying a small notebook and a Paper-Mate type pen and getting to work. I guarantee it will be a rewarding experience.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer from the point of view of Comet (Diane Chartrand)

~ Diane Chartrand ~ Leave a comment

When Rudolph came to the North Pole, the reindeer had a red nose, which was different from all the others. Comet had never been impressed and seemed a bit jealous of all the attention the other reindeer were giving this one.

Comet was the oldest of the nine reindeer brought to the North Pole to pull Santa’s sleigh on Christmas Eve. In the beginning, things went well, but the weather had changed over the years, making it a challenge to get to all the children.

One night a week before the big day, Comet saw a red light glowing in the distance and went out to check it out. Once he saw that it was Rudolph’s nose with a red glow going on and off, he began to laugh and laugh. 

“Are you for real, Rudolph? What is that you have attached to your nose?”

Tearfully, Rudolph told Comet it wasn’t an attachment but his real nose.

“Come on, none of us have noses that light up. I know your nose has always been red but the same color glowing of all things.”

“It just started to do this, and I have no idea what’s going on. Do you Comet?”

Comet walked away laughing and went back into the barn to tell all the others. As he revealed what he had just seen, the other reindeer told Comet he had to be mistaken, and they all walked out to where Rudolph was standing, covered in tears.

They all watched as Rudolph’s nose had a red glow going on and off. Vixen told the others that Santa needed to know about this so he could get the vet to check Rudolph out.

“Come with us, Rudolph, to see Santa. He will get to the bottom of this problem and fix it for you.”

Comet was watching from the doorway and followed the others as they escorted Rudolph to Santa’s workshop, hoping he could fix the problem. Quickly, Comet stepped in front of the others and, getting Santa’s attention, told him that he needed to fix Rudolph’s nose before it caused a problem on the big day.

“Rudolph, come over near me, and we can see what the problem is that Comet is so worried about.”

The youngest reindeer slowly made his way through the crowd of reindeer and stood near Santa, his nose shining a red glow over the entire workshop.

“Santa, please make it stop.” Rudolph cried.

“I see now why when you came to us, you had a red nose instead of the normal color like all the other reindeer. Let’s go and see Dr. Humour. Maybe he can tell us why it’s now glowing and if there is a way to turn it off and on. Everyone else, go back to the barn, and I’ll let you know what we find out.”

Comet stomped away, upset at all the attention the baby reindeer was getting just because his nose wasn’t typical. Maybe once he could find out how to get one like that, perhaps even more significant, he would then be treated special, too.

Santa and Rudolph returned to the barn and told them that this particular reindeer’s red glow was usual. It would be helpful whenever the weather was challenging to see through on our big day.

Comet was not impressed and asked Santa how they all could get a nose like Rudolph’s.

Santa replied, “That’s not possible. You have to be born with this special red nose like Rudolph’s.”

Santa declared Rudolph would be put in the lead on bad weather nights to light their way.

MAKING A WISH BY BLOWING ON A DANDELION PUFF (Diane Chartrand)

~ Diane Chartrand ~ 2 Comments

Dora and her friend Max were sitting on the front porch just talking. Dora told him she couldn’t wait for her birthday to come so she could blow out her candles after making a wish.

“Dora, my Mom showed me a different way to make a wish any time we want to.”

“How do you do that, Max?”

He told her that since they were both too young to light matches to light a candle in order to make a wish, his mother showed him a safe way to make a wish any time he wanted to.

“So, How Max? You didn’t say how?”

Max grabbed Dora’s hand and took her out to the backyard. He told her to look for some dandelions that weren’t yellow anymore. The two walked slowly around the yard, going in a different direction with their search. After a short while, Dora yelled out, “Found some Max, come quick.”

Max made his way to where the swing set was and sat on the grass next to Dora, looking down at a bunch of dandelions that had large white tops.

“Good job, kid.”

“So now, what do we do now, Max?”

He instructed Dora to carefully pick one of the dandelions without losing the ball of white stuff on the top.

Dora took in a deep, deep breath as she carefully broke off the stem from its roots and held it in front of her.

“Now what, Max?”

He told her to make a quiet wish and then gently blow on the dandelions white top.

Dora closed her eyes and made a wish. Then she blew all of the white puff balls off the dandelion. She watched as they blew all over the yard.

“Do you think my wish will come true, Max?”

Wait and see. My Mom says it really works. “Now, my turn.”

HOPE (Diane Chartrand)

~ Diane Chartrand ~ 1 Comment

Hope means to cherish a desire with anticipation or to want something to happen or be true.

The other night, I was having a conversation with my oldest daughter about age. She got into how so many people are living until they are 100 or farther. I told her that I hoped to live at least to 100.

She asked how old she would be then, so I reminded her of my age and how many years I had to then. I told her to take her age and add that number. She decided that wouldn’t be too bad.

I have a lot of things to have hope about. First, that I live a long and productive life. Second, that I accomplish many more things in that time. I know now that I’m mostly healthy and hope for that to remain for many more years.

I have another hope that can happen soon. I want to meet some of my newest great-grandchildren now that they live closer to the Canadian border, and that hope is to accomplish that this summer before the newest baby is born in August.

I hope that this year, there will be a period where I can visit my two younger sisters in Massachusett for a while. I used to take Greyhound buses everywhere, but now they have left Canada for the most part. I did find out that there is one that goes from Toronto to the United States again, so that is good but not great.

I did find out recently that there’s a train that goes from Toronto to New York City, and that is a great discovery. There is also an Amtrack train that goes from New York City to Boston and a few places in between that will help me fulfill my hope to go home for a week or so.

My biggest hope is to find a way to spend time with my daughters, who all live in different places in the United States. I miss them so much, especially the oldest one, whom I would visit every year and who has been going through so many things without me there.

As for my writing work, there is a hope to get back to the pace I had before Covid showed up, as now, for the most part, I have lost my way. I question if this is what I want to be doing or should my path be different. Is there something more for me? If so, I hope that it will be revealed to me soon.

For now, my only hope is to work every day on my current books and make progress in the right direction. I need to go forward with a lot of anticipation for it to become great.

To all of you who are listening to me read this or who are reading this on their own one question. What do you hope for?

“Blue Christmas” ( Diane Chartrand)

~ Diane Chartrand ~ Leave a comment

When those blue snowflakes start fallin’, Ivan runs up and down the street trying to collect them, but they melt in his hands. He was amazed to see this strange thing happening.

“Marge, come outside quick. It’s magical and somewhat disturbing at the same time.”

Marge opened the front door and saw her crazy husband trying to catch blue things falling from the sky. As she glanced further closer to the stoop, Marge realized what was falling were blue snowflakes. She didn’t get it. Shouldn’t they be white?

“Ivan, what is going on,” Marge called out to him as she put on her coat and went outside.

“I have no idea but isn’t it sad that the snow is blue. I wonder why this is happening. Why is Mother Nature so sad that her tears are coming down blue?”

Marge put her hand out and let some of the blue snowflakes gather on it. They weren’t the same as white flakes since they disappeared as soon as they landed. She tried to push some together on the grass, but the same thing happened. No snowball-making ability was available.

“Ivan, I think we need to send Mother Nature a letter telling her we’re here to help in any way we can to stop her from being so blue.”

“Where would we send it? We don’t know her address.”

Marge thought about that for a minute. “We can send it to Santa and ask him to get it to her. I’m sure he knows where she is since he knows where everyone is located.”

Ivan and Marge sat down and wrote a short letter to Mother Nature asking why she was so blue that her tears were coming down as blue snowflakes. They left all their information so she could respond with how they could help. They addressed the second envelope to Santa with a short note inside asking him to get their letter to Mother Nature as soon as possible.

The blue snowflakes continued coming down off and on over the next two weeks. On Christmas Eve, Santa left an envelope on their mantle for them to find the next morning. When Marge got up, she looked outside and saw it was snowing, but the flakes were white again.

“Ivan, go look out the window quickly. The snow has changed back.”

Ivan sleepily wandered into the living room and looked out the front door window. He pulled open the door to check it out, picking up some of the flakes.

“They are white again. I wonder what made Mother Nature happy again.”

Marge then noticed the envelope on the fireplace mantle with their names in the middle of it. Curious, she picked it up and slipped open the flap. Taking out a piece of paper, she read:

Dear Ivan and Marge,

I received your lovely letter asking what was wrong. I was sad because I wasn’t going to be able to bring joy to all the beautiful children all over the world. There is so much sadness everywhere, and it makes me sad.

I’m sorry my tears turned blue and frightened you. Everything has been taken care of for me to share my time with all the children of the world even though some of them have gone to another place from their homes.

I will try harder to not let my moods influence the proper way that nature happens. Thanks for caring so much and offering to help. Just getting your letter was a big help.

Sincerely,

Mother Nature

Ivan looked over, and Marge had tears running down her face. She convinced him they were tears of joy, not sadness, and handed him the letter from Mother Nature. Kindness is always rewarded from places you would never suspect, so be kind to others.

A CAR NEGOTIATION FROM PERSPECTIVE OF THE CAR (Diane Chartrand)

~ Diane Chartrand ~ Leave a comment

“Hey mister, isn’t my red awesome?”

“Well, it’s nice, but a bit bright for someone my age.”

“Your age? You look to me like someone who loves to show off your car.”

“Well, yes that’s true.”

“Check out the engine. I think it sings and purrs like a kitten.”

Melvin turned the key and listened for a bit and turned back to the car. “Actually, it sounds a little rough to me.”

“Rough man! You have to be joking. I think that I’m just what you’re looking for. Smart looking, a few years older, and sounds content.”

Melvin walked around the car again. He could agree that it seemed better than all the other ones he looked at so far.

“I have one more perk for you.”

“Oh yeah, what’s that?”

“I come with an eight-track player and a CD player. Now, where else can you get that. I think all the new ones on the lot have gone to just a radio. Please say yes sir. I will always be faithful to you and never let you down.”

Melvin called over the salesperson. “I’ll take this one if I can drive it away today.”

After all the paperwork was done, Melvin climbed into the driver’s seat, turned the key, and said, “Okay sweetheart, the wheel is yours.”

Maybe in Another Life (Diane Chartrand)

~ Diane Chartrand ~ 1 Comment

As I was drifting off a thought came about. Maybe in a different life. A world appeared with a young high school girl. She was popular and smiled all the time. As I looked closer I could see that girl was me.

I was taken through her time in high school and then to university where she became a teacher. She, that girl, was me. What a wonderful happy life was happening right before my eyes.

The other me was happy, accomplished, and had so many friends. Somehow my dream cycle was now doing a comparison of the current me and the different life me. What was it trying to get me to see?

My time went back to watching a life of joy, fulfillment, and moving forward. There was love, marriage, and a couple of children now growing up in a happy environment. I felt good there and hoped that maybe that could be my life now.

How can I swap that one for the one I am in now. I did ask but no one answered any of my questions. I now knew that we could have and experience a different life but only in our dreams. The life we have is the one we have, or maybe, just maybe I can do something to make changes and fulfill myself with what I saw and experienced in that different life.

Abruptly, I jumped up in bed shaking. I took a drink of water and calmed myself now being able to remember what just happened and where it took me. The rest of the day my head kept telling me, “Do it, do it, you can do it.”

Dark Night (Diane Chartrand)

~ Diane Chartrand ~ 1 Comment

Needing a distraction, I  rolled open a blind and looked out the window into the dark night.  It was two in the morning, and all was quiet in the complex.  I woke up with so many thoughts and worries going on in my head and couldn’t get them to stop.

Soon we will be coming out of a terrible situation, and where I go next haunts me.  As I keep looking out the window, I realize it’s not what I see in front of me that is dark, but I am personally experiencing what is known as ‘Dark Night.’  It’s listed as an internal condition where you become lost to the world you once knew.

As my eyes adjust, I see in front of me my worries all lined up farther than the eye can see.  The first one that approaches me is uncertainty.  It reminds me of all the risks that are out in the world if I go out there.  “Yes,” I say.  “But, at some point, I’ll have to venture out and try to find the person I once was so many months ago.”

Uncertainty just shakes its head and walks away.

Next in line is ego.  I am reminded about all the things done just to please him.  I don’t want to be that person anymore who relies only on ego.  I want to be someone who does things with a purpose in mind, not what I can gain only for myself.

“I’m done with you and your reckless ways,” I say.

Ego just laughs and reminds me that everyone always comes back because it’s the way of the world. He bellows out as he disappears, “All for one and more for me.”

I lean my hand on my chin.  My mind is lost and empty.  Where did I go?  Where did my ability to plan my future go?  Having spent so many months at home all alone has caused me to lose myself.

Joy stands in front of me with a happy face plastered on her chest.  “I am your every day and night, so smile, “ she says.

“Sorry, Joy.  You are no longer a part of me, and I have no idea how to get you back, so leave.”

Joy tries over and over to get me to smile, but nothing causes me to do that, and she leaves.

Several memories started to emerge from my past—the birth of my children, bad marriages, learning for new careers, and hundreds more. Unfortunately, none of them impressed me.  All of those items from my life are so far behind me and no longer important.

The final thing in line said, “Hi.  I’m your new path.”  She handed me a blank page with New Path written at the top.

“So, what am I supposed to do with this?”

“Write on it anything you want to do from this moment on.”

“I don’t know what exactly I want to do going forward, but I am sure it is nothing that I have done so far.”

“Maybe start at the top with I want to and then just write what is in your soul.”

I backed away from the window and sat down with the paper in front of me.  I kept telling myself, you can do this, just start.  Then I took up a pen and wrote at the top as New Path instructed.

I want to…..  

Looking to the Future (Diane Chartrand)

~ Diane Chartrand ~ Leave a comment

Life has been so grim since March 2019, causing Brianna to stop dwelling on now and envision what is to come in her future.

She closes her eyes and lets her body relax, focusing on what she can see in her mind.  The first thing that comes up is the downtown core with people walking around and talking to others they meet.  No one has a mask on or standing far apart.  They at times hug or kiss.

The next thing that comes up is Brianna sitting at her computer creating a video for her next book to be published.  In the past, it was possible to go out and read portions of your book to a crowd of people or go to conventions to promote a new book. 

She sees herself signing copies of her book in several local bookstores.  The line is long and goes on forever all the way out the door, and someone said even down the street.

Tired from signing her name, she now looks further in the future to a vacation.  Water lapping on the shore and a cool drink in her hand as she watches the surfers maneuver the waves.  Yes, this is the future she wants.

Opening her eyes, Brianna now knows the direction she will be taking for the next couple of years. First, she will finish the two books already started and arrange with the local bookstores to have signing events and meet her fans.

Next, she will give herself that vacation she has always wanted to Hawaii, where she can sit on the beach with a special drink in her hand and watch everyone with joy. Then, she would visit the volcano and maybe all the other islands before going home.

Brianna can now see an ending to all that has depressed her over the past months.  Once everyone is safe and unable to transmit the virus, she will be free to have a future. Unfortunately, she has gotten to the point that the only place she can experience a future is in her mind, but it will all become real one day.

Going again to work at the library, visiting family who are far away.  That is the future she seeks, and she knows that it will all happen with a plan.  Won’t It?

She knows that planning a future is the only way to get through the now and move forward.  Pleasant thoughts, happy places are all there in the future, just to spend time with and breathe.

She knows taking precautions now will give everyone a future.  Yes, it will probably be a different one than everyone imagined a year ago, but it will be a future.

Brianna knows in her heart that everything will get better and all her visions will happen.  She just has to believe that in order to move on.  She will put everything that has happened over the past year and just focus on her future plan.

As like Brianna, we all need to look to the future and plan what we want to do or accomplish when we get there.  So everyone, pick up a notepad and start planning what you want to do in your future—Good Luck from Brianna.