Timed Reading — Little Women

It was Christmas Eve in a small New England home. The year was 1861, and the country was at war. The four March sisters were sitting by the fire, complaining — quietly but honestly — about being poor.

Meg, the oldest and prettiest of the four, wished she could have nicer clothes and a more comfortable life. Jo, the second sister, was tall, thin, and restless. She filled the house with energy and was rarely without a book. She wanted to do something remarkable with her life but was not yet sure what. Beth, the third sister, was so shy that she rarely left the house. She spoke softly and cared deeply for everyone around her. Amy, the youngest, was particular about her appearance and talked often about her ambitions as an artist.

Their father was serving as a chaplain with the Union Army. For America was in the middle of a Civil War. And so their mother, whom they called Marmee, had to hold the family together in his absence. She was a calm and strong woman.

That evening, she read them a letter her husband had sent from the front. He told his daughters to be brave, to be kind, and to become the best versions of themselves while he was away. The girls listened in silence. Something in the letter moved them. Each one privately decided to try harder.

Christmas morning was coming. It would bring a decision that showed exactly what kind of young women they were becoming.