We’re only aware of so much but that so much is enough.
Linked to Linda G. Hill’s One-Liner Wednesday.
One-Liner Wednesday — Adequate Awareness
On the Bridge — #writephoto
Ellen stood on the bridge while Nathaniel photographed her from the shore.
“Don’t spoil my memories!”
He did not know how he could spoil her memories, but Nathaniel took multiple shots and made sure the photos looked good. He saw her smile. That let him know she was glad he was taking those pictures. For her part Ellen saw no future that did not include Nathaniel.
Today her face is wrinkled. While she was still able to walk her family decided to take her to her childhood home which seemingly random turbulences over the decades tossed her far away from. She asked to see that old stone bridge. They found the bridge. It was still there in spite of the changes, some challenging, some like windfalls of blessing, that would make almost everything else unrecognizable to her.
As they walked over the bridge, Ellen stopped to the best of her remembrance where she stood when Nathaniel took those photographs. She wondered what happened to him. Why did she lose him that summer?
Ellen thought of her family, husband, middle-aged children and grandchildren starting to have infants to care for. Some of them were with her on the bridge worrying she might fall and guarding her from the edge. She may have another year to share with them. As she breathed the air and watched the water move below she felt an overwhelming gratitude for all of it. The parts of her life she got right soothed those she wished she did differently. She looked toward the shore where Nathaniel stood long ago and smiled at him once again.
Linked to Sue Vincent’s #writephoto prompt. She provided the photo for the prompt. I am also linking because of the reference to gratitude in the story to Debbie Roth’s Forgiving Fridays.
The Need for Speed
With maddening speed the little weed
Grows through the vacant lot.
When fertilized bare spots concede
They’ve lost to what green’s got.
Photos: “Speeding Past the Green Below”, above, and “This Guy’s in No Hurry”, below, linked to K’lee and Dale’s Cosmic Photo Challenge with the theme “the need for speed”.
Buttons
Ryan held the hand-carved applewood buttons. They each had four tiny holes like real buttons.
“Your Uncle Thomas made them for me.” Ryan returned the buttons to his great aunt. He couldn’t see why anyone would have made them.
“He made my wedding dress as well.” Ryan thought that was as odd as those buttons.
“We bought a cake and two rings. I had flowers for my hair.” He heard the story before.
“I forgave him.” Ryan listened. He hadn’t heard that part.
“For dying so young.” He had heard that part.
“I feel him visit me every day.”
Text: Linked to Debbie Roth’s Forgiving Fridays on themes of forgiveness and Charli Mills’ Carrot Ranch Flash Fiction Challenge with the current challenge to write a 99-word story prompted by the word “buttons”.
Photos: “Two Golden Rings”, above, and “Sunset”, below.
One-Liner Wednesday — List
Anything I cannot do right away goes to the top of my procrastination list.
Linked to Linda G. Hill’s One-Liner Wednesday.
Free as a Bird
Loss
Even when it all is lost
And one must start again
Another birth and crumbs are tossed
And joy comes walking in.
Text: Linked to dVerse Open Link Night. Bjorn is hosting.
Photos: “Fern Looking Up”, above, and “Fern Looking Down”, below.
One-Liner Wednesday — Compassion
Compassion keeps us warm in winter. Anger turns the summer off.
Linked to Linda G. Hill’s One-Liner Wednesday.
Opposites
Sorrow from the clearing goes.
Joy there lost today.
Rejection grips as sadness grows.
The woods of darkness stay.
I’ll follow sorrow, if I may.
It wanders mindfully.
“Don’t waste your time,” the wise may say,
“Those woods are dark. You’ll lose your way.”
Forgiveness strengthens me.
Text: Linked to dVerse Poetics. Lillian is hosting with the theme of opposites. Also linked to Debbie Roth’s Forgiving Fridays.
Photos: “Light Green Dark Green”, above, and “Upside Down Reflection of Right Side Up”, below.
Long Ago
My first job was in data processing. The night shift gave me the day to enjoy the city. I mounted magnetic tape onto drives as tall I was. It was a job that begged to be automated. That was long ago. Like Sisyphus, I can still see myself mounting those tapes only to take them down again.
My walk to work led past the Art Institute. I spent an hour each afternoon wandering through the exhibits. I can still see some of them.
One of the benefits of membership, at least in those days, long ago, in what I would even call the mysterious dark ages of my life, was the free coffee that the Institute offered in the afternoon. I became a regular around four in the afternoon with a dozen retirees who were always there and a few strangers who might wander in some afternoon and whom we would never see again. I can still taste that coffee.
Through daydreams blow the breeze of memory.
When shadows break I look and sometimes see.
Text: Linked to dVerse Haibun Monday. Jilly is hosted with the challenge to the traditional form.
Photos: “Blue and Green”, above, and “Red and Green”, below.
Poetry, Short Prose and Walking 