by Ella Smith
A young woman learns the importance of childlike wonder when she falls into a river and has a near death experience.
Bea
·
Kenny
·
Henry
·
Bea · Kenny · Henry ·
BEGINNING OF WONDER
“The sound of the light raindrops was quickly drowned out by the tiny muddy frogs jumping around our feet as we began dancing. The lily pads in the lake were glimmering from the delicate rain that was starting to grow more rapidly. When there was a break in the rain, we made crowns out of twigs and decorated them with colorful string we used to make friendship bracelets earlier that day. We imagined we were sister princesses and the frogs were our subjects, celebrating our glorious beauty with their song. The rain increased in speed and volume, and the gentle rumbling of the Earth felt powerful under our bare feet.”
SOMETHING DULL ABOUT THIS LIFE
“I could tell Kenny was disappointed with our conversation, if you could even call it that. She later shared with me that she wondered if we would ever return to where we used to be. Sitting under the same tree as adults felt more painful than she could ever imagine. The pain of the happy memories of us dancing among the frogs was piercing. There was nothing left for Kenny to say that would convince me to open up to her. She wondered if she had lost her friend forever. “
“Henry and I had a regular meeting time of 6 pm on Fridays and Saturdays, during the summer after college. The other days, I would read with my window open, and the breeze was so relaxing. I would watch for sundown if I could catch it, but sometimes the day just wasn’t able to slow down to allow that.”
ECHOES OF THE PAST
SOMETHING DULL ABOUT THIS LIFE
“The sound of the light raindrops was quickly drowned out by the tiny muddy frogs jumping around our feet as we began dancing. The lily pads in the lake were glimmering from the delicate rain that was starting to grow more rapidly. When there was a break in the rain, we made crowns out of twigs and decorated them with colorful string we used to make friendship bracelets earlier that day. We imagined we were sister princesses and the frogs were our subjects, celebrating our glorious beauty with their song. The rain increased in speed and volume, and the gentle rumbling of the Earth felt powerful under our bare feet.”