11 September 2026, Freewriters Community Daily Writing Prompt Day 3223: belief

“I think the hardest thing about our lives is, we never got a chance to just have a belief in our parents. And yeah, I feel cheated, and yeah, I'm mad about it. But I thank God that we have our grandparents.”

Eleven-year-old Eleanor Ludlow was talking with eleven-year-old Velma Trent about why she was crying on her porch for no apparent reason. By this time, Capt. and Mrs. Ludlow and the other Ludlow grandchildren were closing in, but Capt. Ludlow put up a hand and called a halt because Eleanor needed this moment with the best friend she had chosen to share this with.

“I can't completely imagine even though my parents divorced,” Velma said. “They actually co-parented really well, so I never had to lose belief. That's gotta be incredibly hard.”

“It is,” Eleanor said. “It's not fair, and it's something Glendella and I talk about: why people have children if they don't want to be there for them. But the thing we always come back to is, God wants us and is taking care of us and we can depend on Him. We are with Papa and Grandma because God made that happen for us … I prayed and He heard me … .”

Eleanor started crying again, and Velma wrapped her arms around her as the other Ludlows all came and joined the hug.

“Eleanor had her breakthrough today,” Mrs. Ludlow said later to Capt. Ludlow.

“One can never predict when the healing will happen,” he said, and then took a moment to dab at his eyes, “but I thank God that He is the healer we need.”