Chicken Soup for the Kid’s Soul Read Free Page A

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1
ON LOVE
Some people say love is blind, but I think love is beautiful. Everything and everyone can feel love—
Birds, humans and animals—all living creatures.
Love means caring and showing understanding.
Love means being there when someone is in need.
Love is being a friend.
You can love your pets, your doll, your favorite chair,
Your friends and family.
Love can be just about anything you want it to be.
Love is a choice.
    Stephanie Lee, age 11

Kelly, the Flying Angel
    Kelly and the pony met when Kelly was seven. She had gone with her father to a neighbor’s farm to buy seed. The shaggy, brown and white pony stood alone in a pen. Kelly reached through the wires to touch the warm satin of the pony’s nose. Kelly spoke softly as the pony nuzzled Kelly’s fingers. “What’s your name, pony? You seem so sad and lonely.”
    “She ain’t got no name,” the farmer grunted. “She ain’t much good anymore. She’s old and she’s blind in one eye. I ain’t got no use for her since the kids are gone.” He turned back to Kelly’s father, who had loaded the bags of seed onto the truck and pulled crumpled bills from his pocket. “You can have her if you pay me somethin’ for the saddle.”
    “How much?” her father inquired, barely glancing at the pony.
    “Twenty.” The old man reached a callused hand toward the money. Kelly’s father pulled off another bill. Gnarled fingers snatched the bills and stuffed them quickly into the pocket of well-worn, dirty overalls.
    Kelly cradled the bridle in her arms as they drove home, her excitement mounting. She kept peeking into the rear of the truck to reassure herself that the pony was still there.
    “Now, this pony will be your job. You have to feed her and take care of her. It’ll teach you some responsibility. I don’t have time to mess with her. Understand?” Her father’s voice was stern.
    “I’ll do it, Daddy. Thank you for letting me have her. I promise I’ll take good care of her.”
    Once they were home and the pony was safely in the stall, Kelly threw hay into the manger, then ran to the house.
    “Mom, you should see our pony! She was so lonely, but she’ll be happy here.” Joy sparkled in Kelly’s eyes. “I’ve named her Trixie ’cause I’m going to teach her to do tricks.” Before her mother could respond, Kelly was back out the door to see that Trixie was comfortable. It was then that Kelly introduced Trixie to her angel.
    When Kelly was a small child, she had been awakened by a frightening storm. She called to her mother, who reassured her by telling her, “Don’t be afraid. Jesus sends his angels to protect little children.” From then on, Kelly had never actually seen an angel, but she felt a presence at times when she would otherwise have been afraid or lonely.
    Kelly brushed the pony’s coat and trimmed her mane and hoofs. Trixie responded to the attention by nuzzling Kelly’s neck, searching her pockets for treats and following her commands. As Kelly rode from the house to the back pasture, she taught Trixie to raise the latches on the gates with her nose. The gates would swing open, and Kelly would close them without dismounting.
    Kelly taught Trixie a routine, trying to duplicate tricks she had seen at a circus. She rode standing up and eventually mastered the ultimate stunt of jumping through a crudely constructed hoop on each circuit of the riding ring. Kelly and Trixie became the best of friends.
    When Kelly was ten, her parents divorced. Kelly and her dog, Laddie, moved with her mom to a small farm several miles away. The problems between her parents kept Kelly from seeing her father anymore, and because Trixie still lived at her father’s farm, Kelly was doubly miserable.
    On the day they left her father’s farm, Kelly walked slowly to the pasture to say good-bye to Trixie. She had never needed her angel’s