Under the vine leaves

©Lisa Fox

As soon as the weather warmed up a bit, he would hang his colourful hammock on the two sturdy tree trunks under the vine leaves.

He would rest there for hours, gently swinging sideways like a lullaby.

Doing nothing, he would simply stare at the green leaves above; the sun rays peaking through the gaps between them.

In the winter, he did this in his room: he would lie on his bed and stare at the ceiling. But this was so much better.

He could hear the sounds of nature around him.

It somehow soothed him better than any therapy.

Also part of Friday Fictioneers

Redefining

©MCD

Sometimes getting lost isn’t a bad thing. It’s a way of finding something new. Of discovering alternative routes. Desires you didn’t know you had. A passion that was underlying for so long.

Sometimes disappearing is a way of re-finding yourself.

It’s a way of setting new priorities, of clearing out the field, of acknowledging what and who matters most. It’s a manner of redefining life and yourself. Of getting to choose how you spend your time.

It’s only when you stop that you can truly acknowledge what you have.

And it’s only when you get lost that you can find things anew.

Wreath of May

©MCD

He woke up early to make it so it would brighten her day.

It was a tradition on Mayday to make a wreath of colourful flowers and hang it on the door. It symbolised the arrival of Spring, the time when everything is in bloom and when there is an overwhelming sensation that everything is possible.

The colours were abundant all around. It was almost like magic. Like an artist’s frame coming to life.

She smiled widely at his ‘good morning’ and just the thought of what was waiting outside their door.

At the simple sight of the colourful wreath, she instantly forgot all that had troubled her out of sleep the previous night.

It’s the simple things that make the greatest difference after all.

Problematic loops

We easily fall into that trap: thinking that we’re the only ones facing problems, or that the challenges we’re dealing with are the hardest ones of all.

We fall into a loop of depression, disappointment, and delusion as if the world has come to its detriment. We sulk and moan and lose all appetite, instead of mustering the courage to power through and resolve whatever the issue may be.

But in this loop, we create even more problems with the people around us: those who mean well but grow tired when their efforts to lift us up go in vain.

Then the yelling begins. On either side. Until one has the constraint to stop and not respond.

A period of ceasefire follows.

And then remorse. From one or the other or from both.

Comprehending the root cause is often the first step in solving any problem. But it implies admitting there is something wrong, to begin with. What we fail to usually see is that our attitudes have the power to mend or break whatever it is that is troubling us.

Take some time off. Let your mind wander elsewhere. Everything usually appears better after a break, a walk outdoors, a hug, or even just a cup of tea.

The tree fox

© Fleur Lind

“I’m telling you a fox lives there”.

“Have you seen it?”

“I’ve seen its shadow in the middle of the night; a furry tale running towards there.”

“How do you know it’s a fox?”

“What else could it be?”

The question perplexed her. But she was certain there was a woodland creature living behind the small tree door.

She liked to believe in fairy tales. It was so different from reality. She needed to maintain an essence of optimism that life could somehow work out magically at times.

He often played along because her sweet childlike innocence was actually refreshing. Also part of Friday Fictioneers

All the right words

“You know you’re worth more than this, right? If they don’t care once, you should care thrice!”

He always knew what to say to make her feel better. His words were to the point, often abrupt but never scarce.

It was something she found inexplicable right from the start: how he could sense what she needed without her even expressing it.

It startled her on their second date. He asked where she wanted to go but she resisted answering somewhere seaside, to allow him to choose. And he chose exactly that. It was like mind reading. But it was deeper. It was a connection that seldom happens in life. And it’s what keeps people who are meant to be together united.

She wouldn’t talk when she was too upset. She would simply mumble and sulk for a while. Then she would look for him to crawl into his arms. A hug always made everything better. And he was well aware of it. His pep talks were just his way of slapping her out of this trance. And it usually worked. She adored him for exactly that.

Speak to me

Introverts have this ‘thing’ (among others): they don’t talk a lot.

The paradox with that, however, is that around the ‘right’ people they won’t stop talking. Once they feel comfort – loved, respected, appreciated, they’ll just blabber away for hours. So much that they might even feel exhausted afterwards. Because when you share so much of yourself, it’s like you’re allowing someone to have a part of you. A part you so delicately place in their hands – in their control – and hope that it won’t be harmed.

When you share parts of your story – parts that hurt you most of all – you secretly wish that it will be nurtured back to life. Like a withering flower.

In the end that’s really what we all seek: someone who understands and stays even when they see all the scars and injuries we’re carrying.

Seek and find

“Do you believe in fate?”

How many times had he heard that question in movies? In those sentimental rom-coms that always had a dreamy happy ending that often seemed so unreal.

She never thought she would be the one asking it. But it just felt right at the moment.

He stopped walking, turned towards her and looked into her eyes.

She blushed. ‘Was it a silly thing to ask?’ she quietly wondered.

“I believe nothing happens by chance,” he replied.

She stayed silent, the slow ebbing of the waves covering their pounding heartbeats.

He embraced her waist, drawing her closer to him.

“I wanted to find you and you wanted me to search for you”.

She smiled, sinking deeper into his arms. He kissed her forehead and whispered, “It was all worth it”.

Walk before you run

When we don’t want to accept something – usually because in our minds we pictured it all too differently – we face resistance. We’re essentially fighting ourselves; that inner battle you hear so much about. It’s what silently eats you up and wears you down. It’s the reason you can’t find the desire, courage or inspiration to do anything. Because you’re so exhausted from fighting against your own thoughts.

When your heart and mind are not in sync, you cannot find peace. And if you’re not serene, you cannot sleep. And if you’re not rested, you won’t have the energy to do pretty much anything. There is a logical consequence here that you will only be able to see once you admit you’re falling apart. It’s the first step to let go and pull yourself back together.

But that’s the most difficult one to take.

The first step is always usually the hardest.

But if you learn to walk, you’ll soon be able to run.

Imminent

Clear blue above and below. The colour of serenity.

You could feel that change in the air.

Nothing could pre-empt you for the tempest that was coming.

Also part of Weekend Writing Prompt #359