“What must I do, mom?”
Jiya’s tear-streaked face looked up expectantly at Poonam’s wiser one, her hands clasping the older woman’s loving grasp in a bond that Life had never been able to explain convincingly enough.
Poonam’s soft voice, made more gentle by the years of experience and turmoil, counseled Jiya, saying, “Let go, Jiya, and give yourself over to the vagaries of Time, which will heal these temporary wounds at their own certain pace.”
“Are your wounds healed forever, Mom, or are the scars a painful reminder that this is exactly how cruel Life can be towards us?”
Touching the long, knife-shaped mark on her cheek, left there indelibly by the monster she had married forty years ago and whom she had buried a little over five years earlier, Poonam smiled and gathered Jiya into her arms with the words, “It is not those scars that give me hope, but the sight of you growing up to be a confident, beautiful woman despite all that you have seen.”
©Shailaja V
Written for Five Sentence Fiction’s Prompt: Glimmer
A powerful and heart-touching story! “Hope” is what keeps us motivated and gives courage to deal with the toughest of times. Beautifully penned! 🙂
I’ve got one word for this, POWERFUL!
Always a pleasure to make people smile, Pixie <3
Thank you, dearest Elly 🙂
Very true, Aseem. 🙂
I just felt it was so appropriate for the message. Thanks, kalpana 🙂
Thank you, Naba 🙂
You’re too generous, as usual 🙂
Every single day, Roshan. Thank you 🙂
Really appreciate that, Beloo 🙂
That was lovely and beautifully expressed in just 5 sentences…
made me smile 🙂
Such a touching and endearing story Shailaja. 🙂 <3
Hope is what keeps many of us going in the toughest of times. Lovely piece :).
And the pic of the lovely rainbow gives a glimmer of hope. Beautiful piece Shailaja
Thanks Ranu.
Thank you <3
Thank you for that, KT!
A positive sentiment…One that makes everyone facing something to look at the positives..A very nice and apt message conveyed
Completely new take on the word glimmer! Great piece from you as usual 🙂
Lovely sentiment 🙂 Hope is something we all need to hold on to…
A tender story of love, hope and courage. So much conveyed in just a few words. Well done, Shailaja.
I love your story Shailaja.
Very motivating!
A lovely, sentimental piece. You got a lot of words out of 5 sentences, but they were all well used ?.
Cheers
KT