I wandered into this story from a post about Same Walk, Different Shoes Volume 2, and stayed right to the end. Beautiful imagery and a compelling narrator.
"I clutched a coloring book and some crayons, a prayer for a son’s love coating my tongue." This line broke my heart wide open. There is so much to unpack in this piece, but I love the sense of self awareness, reflection, and discovery. So much heartache masked in dutiful sacrifice. I wish this person the freedom to do more for herself.
"You get what you're available for" and I'm so glad I stopped by and allowed myself to be available to this story. So many gorgeous details here, I can connect with this character's inner and outer life, and it leaves me wanting more.
Great work Lizzy. I imagine the prompt you had was subtle, which can make it a real challenge to turn into a dramatic arc. There are some beautiful moments here that show that you found your way in.
So much beauty and pain in this story. This is one of many: "I roll out of bed, trying not to wake my husband as the frame creaks. He is a kind man. He’s the type of flexible partner who fits into the spaces of my life without throwing out his elbows."
Beautiful! “I saw in the way he pulled his limbs into himself that he needed more love than he knew how to ask for.” This and “a prayer for a son’s love coating my tongue” were a couple of my many favorite lines.
Lizzy - this was mesmerizing. You captured the feeling of an alternate reality so well! I’m amazed at where your creative leaps took you from this prompt, and the end was very moving. (I may have teared up . . .) Thank you for weaving your magic from these humble words.
I wandered into this story from a post about Same Walk, Different Shoes Volume 2, and stayed right to the end. Beautiful imagery and a compelling narrator.
"I clutched a coloring book and some crayons, a prayer for a son’s love coating my tongue." This line broke my heart wide open. There is so much to unpack in this piece, but I love the sense of self awareness, reflection, and discovery. So much heartache masked in dutiful sacrifice. I wish this person the freedom to do more for herself.
"You get what you're available for" and I'm so glad I stopped by and allowed myself to be available to this story. So many gorgeous details here, I can connect with this character's inner and outer life, and it leaves me wanting more.
Great work Lizzy. I imagine the prompt you had was subtle, which can make it a real challenge to turn into a dramatic arc. There are some beautiful moments here that show that you found your way in.
So much beauty and pain in this story. This is one of many: "I roll out of bed, trying not to wake my husband as the frame creaks. He is a kind man. He’s the type of flexible partner who fits into the spaces of my life without throwing out his elbows."
That sentence (moment) jumped out for me, too.
Beautiful! “I saw in the way he pulled his limbs into himself that he needed more love than he knew how to ask for.” This and “a prayer for a son’s love coating my tongue” were a couple of my many favorite lines.
Lizzy - this was mesmerizing. You captured the feeling of an alternate reality so well! I’m amazed at where your creative leaps took you from this prompt, and the end was very moving. (I may have teared up . . .) Thank you for weaving your magic from these humble words.