This is an ‘Almost’ True Story
Walking barefoot quietly down the weed-ridden old dirt road, she felt a soft, warm breeze caress her golden-brown skin. Raising her face, she closed her eyes and smiled softly to herself. She was at peace.
This feeling of peace was so different and so far removed from the fearful excitement and trepidation she had felt a few days ago. At that time, she did not have any sense of tomorrow; she did not feel as if the future held any promise. She had felt lost and alone.
However, as always happens, that tomorrow did come. It brought with it a sense of hope and a sense of duty - both to herself and to her family. They needed her. She needed them.
…
It took them almost 3 days to complete their journey. When they got to their destination, however, it turned out not to be the blessing that they had hoped it would be. Instead, it turned out to be yet another nightmare. But it was better than nothing… and this was a nightmare that they could change.
Not really having a place to go, they had spoken with a friend of theirs who was alone and in dire straits. He told them that, if they could make their way to his place (over 1000 miles away), they could stay with him until they got on their feet. So, they crammed as much of their stuff as they could into their vehicle and set off.
Photo by Jordan Benton: https://www.pexels.com/photo/shallow-focus-of-clear-hourglass-1095601/
It was now almost three years later and, while they were still missing the rest of their family, life seemed almost normal, almost comfortable. They still had not been able to “get on their feet”, so to speak, and now they had become full-time caretakers for their friend, so they had not been able to fulfill their wishes to return for good -yet. This had become their duty first.
…
As she continued down the worn path, stopping every once in a while, to smell the white and yellow wildflowers that could be found growing there, and listening to the birds chittering their songs from the trees, she noticed that she was no longer alone.
Bounding up to her, was her faithful friend and companion Dreidel – a snow-white Siberian Husky/Malamute mix. Dreidel had been with her for almost 10 years, and she went nowhere without her. Dreidel had grown up with her. She was another part of her family.
She continued her walk, taking in the warm sunshine and laughing while throwing sticks for Dreidel to retrieve.
…
Photo by Frank Cone: https://www.pexels.com/photo/starry-sky-3279307/
After about an hour, she and Dreidel started back to the house. The sun was starting to get low in the sky and the stars were starting to show. Looking up, she could see the constellation, Orion. Remembering times when she had looked up and saw Orion in the night sky back home, she smiled. She knew, at this moment, that she was still connected to the old life; that her family was all together – under the same sky. This comforted her.
When she returned; after feeding Dreidel and Noon (their cat); she hugged her son and husband. She had everything that she needed. Life was good.
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The moral of this story is – even when life seems to send you hardships -persevere. They will not last forever, and who knows? Maybe you will find out that things are not what they seem at the time. Maybe that which you thought you had lost, you had ultimately gained.
