Facebook, Reader's Digest Father Tribute

Melinda Meredith's "Heat Lightning Lessons" is one of the 150-word life stories being considered for publication in an upcoming issue of Reader's Digest.

The story is a tribute to Meredith's father and reminiscent of a simpler time that is very special to her and her six siblings.

Meredith said that she feels the story can reach anyone and take them back to a point in their life when they were young and happy.

Meredith, 53, has been in Marietta for 30 years.

Meredith is from a large and close family. After both of her parents passed away, she and her brother decided to create a Facebook group so that their spread out family could connect. "We let each other know what's going on in our lives, but we also share little stories we write up and post.

"It's a nice way to remember and to allow the younger ones to learn a little bit more about the family," Meredith said.

The story Meredith submitted in the contest was written for this Facebook page.

"It was a good time in our lives, and it will always be fun to look back and share memories with my family."

The competition is part of the Reader's Digest continual effort to enrich and simplify Americans' lives. This particular project, "Your Life...The Reader's Digest Version," celebrates the launch of the new book "Life... The Reader's Digest Version," which is also the first of a new series, by creating a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for people's personal stories to be widely read and for the opportunity of one story to be published in Reader's Digest to its more than 30 million readers. The winner will also recieve a major cash award.

Meredith's story is available for viewing at facebook.com/ReadersDigest.