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101 Word Short Stories

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Lingering Storms

October 10, 2020 8 Comments

By Jenn Linning

“Why is it still raining? The storm finished an hour ago.”

I had taken my granddaughter for a walk in the woods. A week had passed since the funeral and she had barely spoken a word since.

“Some of the raindrops haven’t made it to the earth,” I explained. “They’ve been trapped in the leaves, waiting for the wind to knock them loose.”

“Oh. Like when you cry about something long after it’s happened,” she replied thoughtfully. “Even though time has passed, it doesn’t mean your tears have fallen.”

“Yes,” I whispered, her words and her suffering piercing my heart. “Precisely.”

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kevin says

    October 10, 2020 at 7:24 am

    A wonderfully tender piece of writing. Excellent !

    Reply
  2. Karisa Moore says

    October 10, 2020 at 7:33 am

    This is a familiar feeling and you describe their grief in such a unique and beautiful way.

    Reply
  3. Michael says

    October 10, 2020 at 7:41 am

    Beautiful piece

    Reply
  4. Pamela Raleigh says

    October 10, 2020 at 8:46 am

    Beautiful imagery to illuminate grief.

    Reply
  5. Lissa W Perrin says

    October 10, 2020 at 11:27 am

    This is a beautiful piece of writing about grief and loss. Thank you for sharing it. I love the imagery and metaphor, the tenderness and love that you so simply and effectively conveyed.

    Reply
  6. SK Sadge says

    October 10, 2020 at 12:00 pm

    So beautiful. I will think about this story for a while.

    Reply
  7. Shoshauna says

    October 10, 2020 at 9:48 pm

    I like how the identity of the departed is not named. A skillful story.

    Reply
  8. Christopher Alden says

    October 13, 2020 at 10:32 am

    Beautiful!

    Reply

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