Jessica folded the envelope with the invitation for her to play at a posh reception. Known near and abroad as "The Weeping Mandolin for her tendency to play boisterously until tears flowed from her doe eyes, she looked forward to an evening very different from those to which she was accustomed. Jittery from fear, her... Continue Reading →
I took this picture in Kauai, Hawaii in 2012. What beauty! Looking down into the whirlpools created by the ocean, Jessica's inanition disappeared. The thought that the waters here had thundered for centuries, carving the rocks into the beauty that she was loving, enthralled her and caused her to want to get nearer to the... Continue Reading →
Carla loved Jack so much that just thinking about him made her tremble! She had concupiscent thoughts of him, dreaming that they were laying side by side, with the expanse of the lily pond before them, their toes entwined as the golden fish circled by. As the wind ruffled her hair and rays of sunshine... Continue Reading →
Meghan sat alone underneath the tree during the conference break, not interacting with the other attendees. She had been verecund since being constantly criticized by other students when she was still at school. A particular incident had remained fresh in her mind for all these years, one that nearly made her forever lose her faith... Continue Reading →
Katie knew that her mother thought she was doing what was right for her precious daughter. But, she wrapped Katie in a bubble of fear, not allowing her to experience the real world, unlike the other children playing outside their windows. Some days, Katie wanted to scream at her mother to let her go outside... Continue Reading →
Howbeit, Lila loved the bouquet of yellow roses, it was the card accompanying it that gave her reason to pause and reflect. On it, Joel had written one question: Are you ready to be loved again? Normally intrepid and undaunted by others' opinions of her actions, her three children were unanimous in their objections to... Continue Reading →
Katie wanted to love this city that was the hometown of her new husband, Charles. But, she was so homesick, and the super-tall buildings did not help alleviate her hunger for her island home on Kauai. Here the skyscraper kissed the sky, shutting out the sun's warming rays. How anyone found joy in their souls... Continue Reading →
Calvin and Julie sneaked away from the school and headed for the desert. He had to do well on his last assignment to obtain his certificate in landscape design. The latest design was one of the best he had proposed all year, but he needed to test it out. With Julie keeping watch for the... Continue Reading →
Carlie sat at the table watching the young people dance to their music, which she believed was not worth the paper the lyrics were written on. She thought, "Now disco, that was music!" Donna Summer singing "Last Dance," Gloria Gaynor declaring "I Will Survive," and the Bee Gees reminding us "Staying Alive" helped a whole... Continue Reading →
Caleb laid on the cold surgical table, surrounded by people performing their varied jobs. He was nervous, never having been operated on before. Someone was speaking to him, "Count back from 100, and by the time you get to 97, you'll be in la-la land." Over his mouth was placed a cup, and he started... Continue Reading →
