Hope Is This Moment

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Tracy Schuldt Helixon

Hope is one cup of sugar

one stick of butter

my pandemic anxiety

firmly packed

brown sugar

applesauce

Time to mix.

She’s eleven now

no longer so excited about this cookie-making business

At age four, she burst with

Delight

Tonight’s motivation is product, not process

Still, I’ll take it

Gratefully

Two cups of flour

baking soda

salt.

More mixing.

“Good job. Remember to scrape the sides.”

She nods.

Hope is when we pour the chips

She steers the spatula through thick batter

making sure

chocolatey goodness

reaches

every

single

cookie

Hope is sliding the tray in the oven

closing the door

waiting

“Smells good!” says my husband.

And her teenage brothers

emerge from their rooms.

 

Hope

Is

This

Moment

 

Standing in the kitchen

together

the five of us

bustling

talking

laughing

pouring milk.

I savor the warmth

and the sweetness

and maybe even

a cookie.

  

Tracy Schuldt Helixon is an author and teacher who seeks out creativity and good in the world and can’t stop smiling each time she finds it. Her first picture book, Little Isaac’s BIG Adventure (2012), earned a Literary Classics International Book Award. Her historical fiction chapter book, Caleb’s Lighthouse (2017), was described by reviewer Rosi Hollinbeck as “an early middle grade book that is about as sweet as they come.” Tracy is currently working on a faith-based historical novel called Finding Home, inspired by her adventures in Ireland and stories from her Irish American family. Learn more at www.tracyhelixon.com.