Photo Credit: Graham Lawrence
Distant onlookers might imagine her canvas to be awash in strokes of subtle greens and vibrant reds. Bouquets of lush roses captured in still life. It makes perfect sense to assume such a thing.
But a closer inspection reveals the stunning portrait of a fragile doe-eyed child.
I have heard she comes here regularly to paint her face again and again, here in her favorite place.
How she loved this garden. How she adored the sweet fragrance of roses!
She likes to remember her here, each brush stroke of oil recalling the beautiful moments of a life too soon stilled.
kat ~ 27 September 2015
(100 Words)
100 Word Story in response to Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers (FFfAW) weekly challenge. To see more stories click HERE.
September 27th, 2015 at 10:12 am
Touching story, Kat.
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September 27th, 2015 at 10:13 am
Thank you Olga! Happy Sunday to you 😊
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September 27th, 2015 at 10:19 am
Same to you. Have a great day!
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September 27th, 2015 at 10:16 am
A beautiful heart wrenching story Kat. How sad it is the child passed away so young. A wonderful thing that she can remember her and pay tribute to her by painting her over and over. Thank you for participating in Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers Challenge!
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September 27th, 2015 at 10:38 am
It is a lovely process…giving voice to a seemingly random picture and then realizing that it has more than one story to tell! 😊
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September 27th, 2015 at 10:40 am
That’s true Kat! Thank you so much!
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September 27th, 2015 at 11:17 am
It’s so beautiful. Your use of words are designed so intensely 🙂
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September 27th, 2015 at 11:33 am
It’s a lovely byproduct of rainy days 😊
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September 27th, 2015 at 4:40 pm
This so sad. Thankfully painting is helping her cope.
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September 27th, 2015 at 4:46 pm
Yes. 😊
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September 27th, 2015 at 7:30 pm
We can’t assume we know what is going on in another person’s life.
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September 27th, 2015 at 7:32 pm
Absolutely Deborah. Life is full of surprising twists.
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September 27th, 2015 at 7:37 pm
Definitely.
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September 28th, 2015 at 3:15 pm
A beautifully written story, and so very poignant. The heartache at the death of a child must be so hard to bear. I can only think that the woman’s need to keep painting the child’s face is all part of her healing process.
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September 28th, 2015 at 3:30 pm
Thank you so much. I am very fortunate never to have lost a living child though I am sometimes still haunted by the child I miscarried many years ago. Remembering is a very healing thing. ❤
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September 28th, 2015 at 5:05 pm
It’s funny you should mention miscarriage, Kat. I’ve had six children, but I lost the one that would have been first (44 years ago). I still think about that a lot, too. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me.
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September 28th, 2015 at 5:18 pm
We are deeply connected to ALL our children. Peace and gentle blessings to you. ❤️
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September 28th, 2015 at 5:53 pm
Thank you, Kat. And to you … ❤
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September 28th, 2015 at 4:58 pm
A beautiful story you created with only a few words. I love the contrast between what people thought she drew and what she actually drew- a reflection of her mourning. I love this.
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September 28th, 2015 at 5:14 pm
Thank you Ameena…I’ve learned never to assume 🙂
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September 28th, 2015 at 8:14 pm
So touching, to think of her coping with her loss this way. The title is so well chosen.
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September 28th, 2015 at 8:17 pm
Thank you so much for your kind words! And for commenting on the title. They are as important to me as the story itself. 😊
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September 28th, 2015 at 8:28 pm
I know what you mean. I always think I’m done with the story, then I spend so much more time thinking of just the right title… and then wonder whether anyone even notices!
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September 28th, 2015 at 8:34 pm
Smiling here. You DO get it! 🙂
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