Five Minutes explores five minutes of a life in one hundred words. Five minutes is edited by Susanna Baird, with editorial support from managing editor Maria s. picone, newsletter editor kate meen, and founding reader bobbi lerman, plus our rotating team of guest readers, who you can meet in the latest newsletteR. Five Minutes was founded in October 2020, with the Salem (Mass.)-based writing group Carrot Cake Writers supplying the journal’s first pieces. We’d love to read your five. Submit here

A Great Mom

My mom's butt was high in the air and her head was buried in the blankets. She stretched out her right arm to me, holding “the stick,” a short, black chair rail that held pride of place on her dresser in front of the yellow upholstered jewelry box, and her particular implement of random torture. “Spank me! I deserve it. I must have been a terrible mom to have had such an awful child as you. I’m the one who must deserve it. Please! Spank me!” Tempted for a brief, rageful moment, I melted, sobbing, “No, you’re a great mom.”

Christi Byerly's mission in life is to create communities of grace. Spaces of belonging where you know yourself as loved and cherished. awakencoachinstitute.com

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His Son's Name