welcome, readers & writers!
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today's prompt is a photo of a necklace given to me by a dear friend. some memoir-esque thoughts about the necklace and the friend are below. that's my response to the photo. writers, what's yours? click on comments below to share a story, poem or non-fiction response to the photo. remember, these prompts are intended to provide you with a writing warm up. so there's no pressure to produce an award winning piece of work here. just flex those creative muscles and we'll all go "oooh" and "ahhh!!" readers, comments are open to you as well. thanks, all, for stopping by.
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One of my college roommates came to town this week. What a joy it was to see her! We've stayed connected these uh-humm many years - a) because she's much more organized, patient and persistent than I am (thus a better correspondent), b) because, until recently, we had the good fortune of living a half a day's drive from one another - and the chance to cement the friendship as adults, and c) because we can completely and totally be ourselves around one another. We know the good, bad and, well, badder history of each other's lives and we love each other all the same.
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My friend is one of the strongest people I know. She's been through more heartache in life than one person should ever have to endure; and yet she has been able, through sheer will sometimes, to be positive, vulnerable, open and hopeful to life.
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Some years ago, when she was in the midst of a terrible crisis, I drove out and offered help in whatever very limited way I could. As I was leaving, she gave me the gift of this necklace. She explained that the word thanks, imprinted on the silver, was not only a literal expression of her gratitude to me, but also an offering of gratitude and thanks for life's blessings. That she could find it in her that day to give a gift to me, or to even say the word "thanks" out loud tells you volumes about her character.
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I wear the necklace often, always remembering my friend - what she's lost and what she's gained through these many years. I wear it with gratitude for her and, inspired by her, for life's many blessings.
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come write with me!
A world of meaning in one small word. You guys are lucky to have each other for friends. :)
ReplyDeleteThe little things can just catch you. A crime scene is often so personal that you can filter out the life you are rummaging around in. Items and keepsakes, love letters and momentos are all evidence. Or potential evidence at least. but sometimes the order is wrong or the placement or the look... and you know, this one matters. It took me nearly an hour of searching before I came back to the small gold "thanks" lying on the bed. While it could have fallen off the victim there in the struggle, there was something else. After an hour the back of my brain finally told the front of my brain to look at all the other jewelry. Everything was silver. Silver colors. The victim was wearing silver earrings. And no gold anything. And that thought left me cold. Four people moved around me photographing and gathering evidence. Mapping the splatter. Cataloging items. And I stood rooted to the spot. Fifteen years ago, a few murders had been unsolvable yet one tie had been found by him. His boss had dismissed his connection, but it seemed obvious. A gold earring, a gold cufflink, a golden toy egg... seemingly innocent, but there it was. A thread.
ReplyDeleteLinda - it's true, we are very blessed!
ReplyDeleteFilmGuy - love how you've taken the photo a whole different direction. thanks for writing!
well... I like to think of my bits as, uh... balance for the masses. ;)
ReplyDelete