This story was written by Emma and was inspired by a photograph she was shown of a small house built in the middle of a lake atop a large rock with steps carved into the rock leading into the water. Against one side of the house was a kayak and paddle. (To read more about how Emma is writing, please click, ‘here‘ and ‘here‘.)
“Man and woman landed into marriage. Both worked hard to make thousands of pennies. There was trouble when they decided on what to do with the thousands. Woman wanted to buy a boat; man did not agree. Man and woman gave fighting a try, but it was not for them.
Welcome to their new home.”
Earlier when first shown the photograph (I’ve posted it below) and asked to make a comment about it, Emma wrote, “There is many reasons to believe it is fall.”
When asked to write one question she thought people would ask the person(s) who live in this house, she wrote, “Do you know how to swim?”
Emma's Hope Book 
I don’t have words for how much I love this! “Man and woman gave fighting a try.” Brilliant. And the picture is beautiful too. I want to live in that house where fighting is not for me! And even though my swimming isn’t pretty to look at, it’s very functional in keeping me from drowning.
I loved “gave fighting a try” and then meh, not for us… The photo says this house is somewhere in Serbia!
<3, Brilliant.
I love it!
I like the way in which Emma sustains evocation so deftly, while compressing large-scale life experience and understanding into simple expressive words. “Man and woman landed into marriage.”
Two of my favourite wordsmiths are Woodie Guthrie and Hank Williams. Emma’s in that grand American tradition.
I agree. Everything right down to fighting over what to spend hard earned money on and the art of compromise. Love that!
I just love the way Emma writes! EVERYTHING she writes is so unexpected. Every time I think I have some idea about what she will say next, she goes in a completely unexpected direction. Her way of phrasing things is so delightful! I just can’t wait to read more and more! Yay Emma!
You and me both!
I completely agree with you, Richard! I love reading EVERYTHING Emma writes! It’s very delightful and unexpected and fresh! Tell her she has many fans! 🙂
We will tell her!!
Please tell Emma that she made me laugh and cry at the same time with her story and responses to those questions. Loved it and Very glad to have read her thoughts this morning.
Aw so glad!
I can swim, but how far is it?
Granma
Hard to say… though I’d opt for the kayak, myself.
Exactly. When I was younger, if I spoke, I would blurb out one sentence that was just like “man and woman gave fighting a try, but it was not for them”. People who expected nothing but silence from me were floored to say the least…I say great logic, you GO, Emma!
Aw Bev. Love that!
This is one of the best stories I have every read. I was so taken in by the descriptions and the POV. The language is amazing. stephen p. williams
Thanks Stephen. She is pretty fabulous in every possible way!
Emma, you make. My hear happy.
That’s my ideal house! Well a slightly bigger island maybe as I am a klutz. Well done on the story Emma, Keep on drinking it all in. It’s always quality over quantity that will count and you are lucky enough to live with people who know that.
Great story Emma 🙂
she sounds like a poet and very intelligent. many reason to believe it is fall because the leaves are yellow. perfect house to live in, secluded, far from anyone, and the man and woman decide fighting isnt for them because it’s not in their nature. so many people enjoy arguing and fighting.
also, people on the spectrum love quiet and water, so this is by far the perfect house, and very practical of Emma to write do you know how to swim? she’d thought of everything.