Another month has come and gone as always in the blink of an eye. I always start feeling reflective at this time of year, looking back at the year and thinking how much has changed, or indeed how much has not changed.
This idea of looking back is, I believe, going to come through in this month’s flash fiction piece. For the image prompt, I picked something a little different, opting for some words instead of the usual photographic image.
The wording is by Domonique (@dmarzdesigns) who I had the pleasure of meeting at Josephine Brooks’ workshop in the summer. I love Domonique’s style and the words she chooses. These words are lyrics from ‘Old Crows’ by Alexisonfire and as soon as I read them a story idea came tumbling out of my mind.
So, let’s see where this story goes, shall we?
Kids
Looking over at him, she couldn’t help but notice how much he had changed, how much they had changed. When they first met, all those years ago, they had an insatiable curiosity for life. On every date they did something different, sharing in new experiences and drinking in the love that was building.
Everything was an adventure then. A simple trip to the supermarket became an expedition to find the best of the best so they could cook extravagant feasts.
Back then, their lust knew no bounds. Every look was filled with tension as they explored every inch of each other. She remembered the butterflies she felt every time she heard his voice. The butterflies were still there, they were just… quieter.
Their curiosity gave way to the stresses and strains of life and they began to revel in comfort instead. New experiences got saved for special occasions and trips to the supermarket became part of the chore list.
As their family grew with the birth of their two sons, their lust for each other got overruled by tiredness. He looked tired, she thought, noticing him yawning as he leafed through the paper.
She thought back to those days, when they were mere kids, and asked herself if she missed it. In a way, she did. She missed the newness of it all, the expanse of energy they seemed to have.
But then her gaze was drawn to their sons, playing together, and she smiled.
She realised, she wouldn’t trade places with her younger self. While the fun memories are the ones that stick out, she also remembered how full of self-doubt she was and how much she longed to feel as settled and content as she is now.
The love they built was still there. It was holding them up, even when things felt hard. What they’d been through together had changed them, sure, but that love was stronger than ever.
Relationships change so much over time don’t they? I really enjoyed exploring this idea in this month’s story. Marriage and children isn’t something I’ve experienced, but I hope if I do, I feel the same as the character in this story.
That’s all from me this week, I’ll be back on Wednesday with my first ever interview on Seedling podcast and on Sunday there’ll be a blog looking at how we can have more good days. Until then, take care.
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