Daddy Bird: Kella’s Short Story

So, my daughter Kella is pretty special. She is 10-years-old right now. Last night, Deanna went to Kella’s 4th grade parent teacher conference and brought home this short story that she had written for an assignment. It made us both cry.

We are blown away constantly with the way Kella crafts her words. Mr. Garcia is planning on nominating her for the gifted and talented writing class next year.

Daddy Bird

by Mikella Shoup
daddybird
a picture Kella drew to accompany the story

 

 My dad and I are riding around Erie on a nice day of Autumn. Then, out of nowhere, I notice a soft, loud, beautiful and wonderful sound running through the gentle breeze. I slow down to hear the sound better and then I stop at the park.

“Let’s take a break,” I tell my dad anxiously.

“Okay,” my dad says, relieved for a break. He sits down while I wander around the park anxiously. I suddenly hear the pretty sound again. Then I see a lovely yellow bird skipping nicely from branch to branch happily as it sings the lovely sound I’ve been wanting to hear. It dances a ballet while singing it’s gorgeous song again and again. I just love that marvelous symphony racing in and out of my ears.

“Hmmmmm!” sings the bird. “Blummmmmmm!” hums the bird. I love it’s dazzling music and it’s yellowish-orange body. I like it’s orange beak. It’s clear-ish claws. It’s lovely soft feathers that shed from it’s body, and it’s perfectly spread out wings glowing in the sun. The bird looks so glamorous. So perfect. So dazzling!

That marvelous yellowish-orange bird reminds me of my dad, because, first of all, he is the one who brought me here to see things like this bird. Second of all, he likes the color orange and the bird is yellowish-orange. Thirdly, the bird is handsome like my dad. But the most important thing of all, the bird sings gracefully just like my dad.

The bird hums but my dad sings words. To me, that humming sound is music and words that only birds — and some people — can understand. To me, the bird is singing worship songs to God like my dad does at church, where he is the worship leader. To me, the bird is a worship leader to all of nature. I think the bird is singing songs to worship Jesus like “Silent Night,” “Away in a Manger” and “Happy Day.”

In my mind, I can see that bird in a big bird-church on Sunday, singing to God with all it’s birdy friends, listening and dancing. The bird hums it’s song and plays it’s musical leaves that play as the instruments. My dad plays the keyboard, but the bird plays the leaves. I will always remember my musical friend, dancing, singing and playing it’s musical leaves.

My dad might have not seen the bird, but they are similar.

Reading this reminds me that being a husband and a father is the most important thing I do. Nothing can trump showing love to my wife and kids.

My prayer today is, “God, help me to be the person she sees in me.” It’s better that way.

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