Writing again...
It's been a long time since I had the urge to just sit and write, but it's been happening a lot recently... so I decided I would go ahead and post a short story I just wrote this past week on here. I'm not really used to sharing my work with others, but I think it's time I did. This story I have entitled "They Taught Me How to Wish".
A lonely child, who's lost all she had sits on a long empty pew. Before her lay two caskets side by side, one her grandfather, the other his wife. She's been here before and this time maybe it hurts even more, just two years prior, in this same little church, her mommy and daddy lay side by side after the fever took them from her. This time it's harder not to blame herself, they came to take care of her when mommy got sick, and they loved her so dearly and she loved them too. They taught her that life wasn't fair, but was still worth living, and that it's okay to dream and to wish upon stars.
So today as her last hopes meet their final resting place she weeps tears of anger at her once revered God. Her grandmother had taught her to pray and to read His word, but today that seems like a distant time. "Why would He let this happen again?" she thinks to herself as she shakes with fear of the future. "Why would he take the only ones left who love me?" She wonders as she struggles to sit upright and not double over with the pain of the loss. Yes, she is twelve now, but that's not old enough to take care of herself, what will she do, where will she go, and will she ever be able to feel secure again?
She hears the church bells ring and the doors open. The sounds of people trickling in follow and their hushed whispers go silent when they see her. Some of them go to the caskets to say their last goodbyes, some just take their seats waiting for the Preacher to say his peace. But no one comes over to her, no one shakes her hand, or gives her a hug, though they all look at her with pity and let tears cloud their eyes. As the Preacher takes his place behind the pulpit a final soul slips in and sits next to her, she feels a hand wrap around her shoulder, and without looking she turns into the comforting, warm side and sobs into it as the Eulogy is read.
"In this life both Eugene and his wife Roberta were known for their kindness and mercy in this community. They were people of faith, people of love, and people more generous than most. They lived to see their only daughter taken too early by sickness, and took their only granddaughter in, to raise her as their own. They were people of love. They gave everything they could spare to the poor, to the soup kitchens, to the less fortunate ones they saw. When they harvested the few fields they had they shared all that was there with those who wanted or needed.
"They were people of mercy. They forgave those who did wrong by them, and asked forgiveness when they felt they needed it. They lived a life suitable to Christ and left us with no hate or regret.
"They were people of hope. In their lives they were given more than their share of poor fortune, and went through things that no person should endure, but they did. They had a hope for life that no one could deny, and they shared it with anyone who would listen. When their daughter Amy died they were grief stricken for sure, but they saw the chance to raise Allison as a new hope for them. They did as much as they could to let her know they loved her, and to teach her to stand tall and walk proud, always looking ahead, not behind..."
As he continued on, Allison realized that what the preacher had said was correct, she needed to be strong and walk on, that's what they would have wanted. So she wiped her face and emerged from her place of hiding in the strangers arm and straightened to face the front. She did glance over at the comforting visitor, and almost smiled, she recognized that face. She sat tall and proud for the rest of the service, letting only the smallest most silent tears escape her, and she held the hand of the one next to her.
When it was time to accompany the Preacher to the grave side Allison was the first to leave the church, not letting go of the hand that held comfort. When the preacher was about the service he asked if anyone would like to add anything, Allison nudged the hand that held hers. Taking the hint well, the hand slid from Allison's and took a step forward, all was quiet as a mid-alto voice filled the air with a familiar tune...
"Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost, but now I am found. Was blind, but now I see...."
At the end of a third round of "Praise God's" there was no more to be said. The preacher bowed his head in silent prayer and then reverently looked up, and with a simple gesture dismissed the silent crowd.
In a few moments the only ones still standing in the graveyard were Allison and her new friend, and a very quiet preacher. "Why did you come?" whispered Allison.
"Because they would have wanted me to share new hope with you." She replied softly.
"They taught you how to dream again didn't they?" Allison asked this familiar stranger whom she'd heard stories of, and seen pictures of, but had never met. She had been a member of the church years ago, and when she had lost everything they took her in too.
"And they taught me how to wish." She added, as she took Allison's hand and walked her out of the cemetery and into her new life.
A lonely child, who's lost all she had sits on a long empty pew. Before her lay two caskets side by side, one her grandfather, the other his wife. She's been here before and this time maybe it hurts even more, just two years prior, in this same little church, her mommy and daddy lay side by side after the fever took them from her. This time it's harder not to blame herself, they came to take care of her when mommy got sick, and they loved her so dearly and she loved them too. They taught her that life wasn't fair, but was still worth living, and that it's okay to dream and to wish upon stars.
So today as her last hopes meet their final resting place she weeps tears of anger at her once revered God. Her grandmother had taught her to pray and to read His word, but today that seems like a distant time. "Why would He let this happen again?" she thinks to herself as she shakes with fear of the future. "Why would he take the only ones left who love me?" She wonders as she struggles to sit upright and not double over with the pain of the loss. Yes, she is twelve now, but that's not old enough to take care of herself, what will she do, where will she go, and will she ever be able to feel secure again?
She hears the church bells ring and the doors open. The sounds of people trickling in follow and their hushed whispers go silent when they see her. Some of them go to the caskets to say their last goodbyes, some just take their seats waiting for the Preacher to say his peace. But no one comes over to her, no one shakes her hand, or gives her a hug, though they all look at her with pity and let tears cloud their eyes. As the Preacher takes his place behind the pulpit a final soul slips in and sits next to her, she feels a hand wrap around her shoulder, and without looking she turns into the comforting, warm side and sobs into it as the Eulogy is read.
"In this life both Eugene and his wife Roberta were known for their kindness and mercy in this community. They were people of faith, people of love, and people more generous than most. They lived to see their only daughter taken too early by sickness, and took their only granddaughter in, to raise her as their own. They were people of love. They gave everything they could spare to the poor, to the soup kitchens, to the less fortunate ones they saw. When they harvested the few fields they had they shared all that was there with those who wanted or needed.
"They were people of mercy. They forgave those who did wrong by them, and asked forgiveness when they felt they needed it. They lived a life suitable to Christ and left us with no hate or regret.
"They were people of hope. In their lives they were given more than their share of poor fortune, and went through things that no person should endure, but they did. They had a hope for life that no one could deny, and they shared it with anyone who would listen. When their daughter Amy died they were grief stricken for sure, but they saw the chance to raise Allison as a new hope for them. They did as much as they could to let her know they loved her, and to teach her to stand tall and walk proud, always looking ahead, not behind..."
As he continued on, Allison realized that what the preacher had said was correct, she needed to be strong and walk on, that's what they would have wanted. So she wiped her face and emerged from her place of hiding in the strangers arm and straightened to face the front. She did glance over at the comforting visitor, and almost smiled, she recognized that face. She sat tall and proud for the rest of the service, letting only the smallest most silent tears escape her, and she held the hand of the one next to her.
When it was time to accompany the Preacher to the grave side Allison was the first to leave the church, not letting go of the hand that held comfort. When the preacher was about the service he asked if anyone would like to add anything, Allison nudged the hand that held hers. Taking the hint well, the hand slid from Allison's and took a step forward, all was quiet as a mid-alto voice filled the air with a familiar tune...
"Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost, but now I am found. Was blind, but now I see...."
At the end of a third round of "Praise God's" there was no more to be said. The preacher bowed his head in silent prayer and then reverently looked up, and with a simple gesture dismissed the silent crowd.
In a few moments the only ones still standing in the graveyard were Allison and her new friend, and a very quiet preacher. "Why did you come?" whispered Allison.
"Because they would have wanted me to share new hope with you." She replied softly.
"They taught you how to dream again didn't they?" Allison asked this familiar stranger whom she'd heard stories of, and seen pictures of, but had never met. She had been a member of the church years ago, and when she had lost everything they took her in too.
"And they taught me how to wish." She added, as she took Allison's hand and walked her out of the cemetery and into her new life.