J. Aday Kennedy's Writing Credits

J. Aday Kennedy

Excerpts of J. Aday's Essays in Chicken
Soup for the Soul Anthologies

"The Man of My Dreams" by Jessica Kennedy

"Some Children are Special" by Jessica Martin (pen name)

"The Evolution" by Jessica Kennedy

"Optimistic Light" by Jessica Kennedy

"Cold indifference described his treatment of me. I followed him astride the white banana seat of my pink
Huffy bicycle pedaling as fast as I could to keep up. Streamers flew outstretched from consummate mimic,
I cheered the Pittsburgh Steelers on television when he did even though, I hated football. I tried
everything I could to break through his cold shell. I failed."

"A blur of wings, two hummingbirds dart amongst the honeysuckle vines that curl around the lattice on
the right side of the two story Victorian home. I love to watch them flit from bloom to bloom. As they
probe flowers their pinpointed beaks disappear within the petals. Vera and I sit on the creaky old porch
swing swaying to and fro creating a slight breeze. I close my eyes and take in a deep breath of fresh air
laced with the sweet scent of honeysuckle and summer.

"My mother and I had reached that point in our relationship where we became friends and then I had
a stroke and everything changed. I had just come to the realization she was human and therefore
imperfect and that was okay. She, in turn, became acquainted with a young, independent woman that
shared her love for reading, doing crafts, playing games, and remodeling old houses.

"What happens if my ventilator hose pops off? Will someone come running? Alone...all alone with no
way to call out. The ventilator is my soul companion. I count the seconds between each breath. 1, 2,
3, 4, 5, 6, air in, air out 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, air in, air out....over and over I count. When it takes longer to
get a breath, (It doesn’t, I just don’t always count at the same rate.) panic stirs in my chest. What
happens if it doesn’t supply a burst of air? Another breath eases my trepidation."

"The fact that I quit high school, never swayed his belief in me. He gently nudged me to seek higher
goals. Throughout junior college, he tutored me in algebra, economics, statistics and philosophy. With
encouragements, such as, “You can do it” and “You’re so smart,” I believed anything was possible.
Grinning from ear to ear, he clapped and cheered the day I walked across the stage and received my
Bachelor of Arts degree in history. The words, “I’m proud of you”, meant more than the degree I had
studied for five years to gain.

"A Real Dad" by J. Aday Kennedy