Do What Matters Most Novels & Stories

Not destroying myself to build something that mattered. This was exactly right.

“Why are you asking that?” Leo shrugged. “Some boys at school said only rich people matter.” Naomi immediately put her pencil down. Then she turned fully toward him. “Listen to me carefully,” she said softly. “Money can make life easier sometimes. But it does not decide if a person matters.” Leo looked thoughtful. “Then what matters?” Naomi smiled gently. “A good heart. Kindness. Honesty. Love.” Leo considered her answer carefully. Then he nodded seriously. “Okay.” Naomi touched his cheek softly.

“I’m part of your life.” The words hung between us. He stood then, pacing once across the room before turning back to me. “That’s exactly the problem.” My chest tightened. “What does that mean?” “It means you matter,” he said. “And anything that matters can be used.” A chill ran down my spine. “So what are you saying?” I asked. “That I should leave?” “No.” “Then what?” “That you need to be careful.” “I am careful.” “Not enough.” The bluntness stung.

This is the first time that I've heard that any of these things could affect a pregnancy. I responded to him by saying, "By the gods, they say it has an effect. Let's act in a manner that is commensurate with our values." When he was finally persuaded, he came up to me, gave me a bear hug, and said, "OK, that's it. The thing that matters the most to me is that neither of us gets angry with the other.

“Okay, what do you need me to do?” “Just close your eyes and center yourself as best as possible.” She gives me a look of relief. “Don’t meditate. Best not to let your spirit move away from your body… just in case… Just focus on what is important to you.” “You mean Bronx?” “If he is what is important to you then yes, but it could be anything. Your children, your sisters, your friends, or even a recipe you’ve been trying to perfect. Whatever is important to you, focus on the very best aspects of those things.”

Mother bursted into laughter with her head thrown back in amusement, "Well aren't most men?" I gave her a quickening look. "You think that's fair don't you?" "No, that's not what what I mean. It's just… It doesn't matter the kind of person that Liam is. It's not that you even like him so it doesn't matter." I dumbfounded by my mother's statement, "Doesn't matter?" I stood to my feet in annoyance, "What Liam is… doesn't matter?" Mom nudged me with a smile, "Oh, come on. If you're using Liam, what matters isn't the kind of guy he is, or what he does that's inconvenient for you. What matters is what the benefit you can get out of him."

"What's the biggest thing in your life right now?" I try to speak, but I'm stuck. My gut says this contest, because isn't that why I'm having a hard time? Isn't that why I feel like I can't breathe with all this stress? But then I ponder it. What matters most to me? Pictures pop into my head, not of awards or fame, but of Liam. His giggles when he rushes to hug me. His tiny fingers clutching mine. How he smiles up at me brimming with affection and faith, like I'm his entire universe.

And I couldn’t take that for granted. “I’ve been so focused on work lately, I’ve neglected myself,” I said quietly, almost as though confessing something I hadn’t realized until now. “But I don’t want to lose sight of the things that matter. I don’t want to lose the parts of me that make me me.”

My child? Not least of all ... Am I doing what's right for myself?

Would lose faith in everything. But Void spoke firmly. Cutting through the panic. Focusing on what mattered. "Hope suffers," Void said simply. "That is all that matters. Not legacy. Not community peace. Not what this revelation destroys. Hope suffers. We must help. We must free Hope. We must give Hope peace. Everything else is secondary. Everything else is irrelevant. Everything else is distraction. Hope suffers. We help Hope. That is all. That is simple. That is what we do. Help Hope. Now."