22 September 2026, Freewriters Community Daily Writing Prompt Day 3234: morale

“Grandma, I was listening to Papa talking to another veteran about the importance of good morale among the unit, and he's still on the phone and I will ask him but I wanted to ask you while he's on the phone that … uh … what was I trying to ask?

Seven-year-old Amanda Ludlow was trying to think big thoughts.

“I have time, Amanda,” Mrs. Thalia Ludlow said as she sat down on the sofa and patted the seat beside here. “You'll think about it again in a little bit.”

So Amanda sat down and thought very hard, her light brown curls falling over her face as she took on the pose of Rodan's 'Thinker' and her grandmother tried not to laugh.

“Oh, I remember,” Amanda said at last and sat back up with a little jump. “So, Grandma, do you feel like that we have good morale in our family unit, or do I need to go on a snugglecouragement campaign to help us all out a little?”

“I think we have excellent morale,” Mrs. Ludlow said, “but it can always be better, so sharing some snugglecouragement can never hurt.”

Capt. R.E. Ludlow walked in a little later to see Mrs. Ludlow and Amanda, the granddaughter on the grandmother's lap and grinning as the two of them rubbed their noses together before the grandmother embraced the granddaughter and put granddaughter's head on her shoulder as the granddaughter giggled from delight.

“Just working on the family morale,” Mrs. Ludlow said to Capt. Ludlow.

“Oh, someone was listening,” the captain purred, and sat down and smiled as Amanda clambered over to get a hug from him, too. “Well, let us do what we can for the morale of the Ludlow unit!”