Thursday, November 7, 2013

Fleeing From the Pain


This fictional story was written for Write Tribe's "Hemingway this Wednesday" writing prompt.  I chose the quote “You can’t get away from yourself by moving from one place to another.”  taken from Hemingway's "The Sun Also Rises" to build my story 
from.



        It was hard to believe a month had passed since the funeral.  She still expected to round a corner and see her husband sitting in his favorite chair watching the football game or out in the garage tinkering.  She would call his name and then remember, he would never answer her again.  He was dead and gone from her forever.   Not a moment went by that she didn’t think of him.  Not a day went by that she didn’t long for him.  There was always something new to tell him.  The most mundane things really, still something she would have always told him about.  Her heart ached, and the pain was palpable.


         Jack was only 50 when he died.  Not really old at all.  He had his whole life ahead of him when he was diagnosed with cancer.  Though afraid, he had fought valiantly and assured her he was going nowhere.   He would win this battle.  Only he hadn’t.  The cancer had won and left her a widow at 48 with her whole life stretching before her in an empty chasm of loneliness.  She had thrown herself into her work.    She worked tirelessly long hours.  She never slept anymore and rarely ate enough to keep a bird alive.  She knew family and friends worried about her and talked about her behind her back.  She didn’t care.  Jack was gone and her life was over.  The home they shared seemed too big to her now.  She wandered around looking for Jack remembering everything constantly in tears.


           She encouraged the kids to return to their lives.  Go back to college she told her youngest.  You have your own family she told her oldest.  Don’t worry about me she told them both.  I will be just fine, she assured them all.  It wasn’t until almost another month passed when she decided to sell the home they shared and start a new life for herself in a new city.    She packed up her memories and moved closer to where her children now lived.  The only problem was that despite the fact that the new house was lovely and she loved the area, she realized she still loved and desperately missed Jack and their old life.  No, he had never been to this place but his spirit followed her in her mind and heart.  She still longed for him.  He was a vital part of her and always would be.  They had shared a happy life together and now that was over.  He was gone, and she was still here.
 

          She soon realized she couldn’t run or hide from her grief and memories. They followed her everywhere she went.  She soon understood that you can’t get away from yourself by moving one place to another.  Only the passage of time would heal her broken heart and soothe the pain felt from Jack’s death.  Moving to a new home or city is simply geography and the heartache followed her and was just as strong there as at home.




         Her life would go on without him.  She would make new memories on her own and follow the path God had for her.  In time she would find happiness again while she carried the memory of Jack deep in her heart forever.



42 comments:

  1. This is absolutely lovely! Tear-jerking and real. People so often try to run from heartache. Really beautifully written ... Kudos!

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    1. Jo, I am so pleased you enjoyed my story. I realize it was kind of sad...but it is real life and death is something people deal with everyday. Thank you for stopping by and for your kind comments! ♥

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  2. heart wrenching lines almost read like a long poem.....yes one has to move on, tread the path already laid down and make new memories.....beautifully written......

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    1. Sumana Roy, I am so pleased you enjoyed it! Thank you for stopping by and for your kind comments!

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  3. Beautiful Kathy. Memories held in her heart forever - I can relate to that. I always say that over time one comes to accept the loss but time cannot heal the pain completely

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    1. Suzy, I think the pain grows less over time on the most part and then we hit a milestone in life...like the birth of a child and you wish with all your heart that person was still here. At those times the pain is just as severe as at the time of initial lost. I think a person does the best they can to accept, but you never really get over the loss. Thank you for stopping by and for your kind comments!♥

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  4. How could she move from one place to another without forgetting Jack as she is carrying him in her heart. Emotional story.

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    1. Kalpana, when a person is facing unbearable grief desperation to feel better will push us to try anything. Unfortunately that is not how it works. Thank you for stopping by and for your kind comments. ♥

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  5. People come and go, but memories stay for ever. It's really hard to forget someone you love. The pain is just too much to bear.

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    1. rekhadhyani, I don't think it is possible to forget. The pain is awful although it dulls with time. That person lives in your heart and memories forever. Thank you for stopping by and for your kind comments! ♥

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  6. So beautifully captured! It's almost like a poem. I hope you write another post on her finding happiness again too.
    This post just tugs the heartstrings.

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    1. Rahmath, I may just have to do that!! Thank you so much for stopping by to read and for your kind comments. I am so pleased you enjoyed my story!!! ♥

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  7. I started to read this and, as this is my biggest fear, losing my amazing sweet loving man too early, I couldn't continue.....I'm at that age where my peers are starting to get sick or pass away. :(

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    1. JoJo, awww that is sad. It is one of my biggest fears too. I can't even imagine losing the love of my life or my children. I want to go first. I couldn't endure it although I know death comes for all of us. Thank you for stopping by and for your comments ♥

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  8. A true life portrait painted with words. Lovely and at the same time touching.

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    1. Geeta, I am so pleased you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for stopping by and for your lovely comments! ♥

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  9. Very touching and poignant! The world keeps turning no matter how bad, sad or lost we feel... life goes on!!

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    1. Shilpa, that is the wild thing about it. When my mom died I couldn't fathom how the world didn't stop without her. I was shocked that the sun came up again. Life keeps going and we do our best to keep up. Thank you for stopping by and for your kind comments! ♥

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  10. Difficult to be in a position where you should and shouldn't let go. Facing the loss of someone is one of those positions....hardly to be envied.

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    1. Michelle, time forces you to move forward whether you want to or not. Death is so unforgiving. Thank you for stopping by and for your kind comments! ♥

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  11. Sad story. We all need to make sure we keep the happy memories alive,

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    1. Lanthie, I agree! It is important. Thank you for stopping by and for your sweet comments! ♥

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  12. very heart warming, kathy!

    Loved your take :)

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    1. Ruchira, I am so pleased you liked it. Thank you for stopping by and for your kind comments! ♥

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  13. So well written Kathy! The words were emotions flowing through you. Loved it. Yes, life goes on, no matter what. :(

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    1. jyothisdayout, it does go on. No matter how badly you want it to stop and be able to just go back to that moment when the people you loved were here, living, and breathing...you just can't. You have to go forward. Thank you for stopping by and for your sweet comments! ♥

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  14. Very nicely written Kathy. Life goes on and we learn to go with it too. On another note, Cancer is a monster, I've lost an aunt to it and my mother and her other sisters still haven't recovered from her death even after three years.

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    1. 4 feet wonder, cancer is awful. It took my mother and she suffered horribly. There are some losses in life we just never get over. Thank you for stopping by and for your kind comments! ♥

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  15. Well written. And that's one sentence that is so applicable to all people at one point or the other.

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    1. Me, I am so pleased you liked it. Thank you so much for stopping by and for your kind comments. ♥

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  16. Very emotional story. It choked my breath. very fine work of fiction.

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    1. Usha, I am so pleased you liked it and it touched you so profoundly. Thank you for stopping by to read and for your sweet comments. You have made my day! ♥

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  17. Kathy your story touched me truly...
    Love never dies...if she start cherishing their sweet memories and look after the family as he would have done, she will always find him smiling by her side...
    loved reading it

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    1. shellymona, you are right. Love continues forever. I am so pleased you enjoyed my little story. Thank you for stopping by and for your sweet comments. You made my day! ♥

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  18. kathy such a wonderful way to express human emotions, difficult to understand and yet so simple once comprehended... Beautiful <3

    Richa

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    1. Richa, I am so pleased you enjoyed it. Thank you for stopping by and for your sweet comments! ♥

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  19. A very touching tale.. The prompt has been used wonderfully, woven into the tale.. a nice read..

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    1. Vaisakh, I am so pleased you enjoyed it. Thank you for stopping by and for your sweet comments. ♥

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  20. Sad story yet very relatable. Great interpretation of the quote.

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    1. Talya, I am so pleased you enjoyed it. Thank you for stopping by and for your kind comments! ♥

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  21. Very sad and touching story, Kathy. I liked how you used the quote. So true that we can't get away from ourselves and our grief by trying to run away from it. It has to be faced head on which is hard but necessary to complete our grief journey.

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  22. Writercat59, I am so pleased you liked it. Thank you for stopping by and for your kind comments! ♥

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