A Story from the Ashes

A long long time ago, it was so very long ago,

she wasn't permitted to be in love...

she said goodbye as the family loaded up their belongings.

Blue skies stretched with no end.

Dragon flies flew around and landed silently on soft green blades of the never ending rice fields.

Kids ran freely with no shoes and farmers bent low to the ground to plant new blades of rice.

You could hear the distant sounds of drumming in the air,

the summer festivities were about to begin.

Excitement filled the town.

Streams sparkled as they danced down the way and all was well.

The wind blew softly on their sunkissed skins.

****

Many years after, the once clear blue sky rained gray mushrooms from the now dark sea of heaven.

"hold your family close to you."

She said, as her eyes glistened.

The girl at 17 ran as fast as her skinny legs would carry her.

She knew she was alive, her heart pounding in her little chest, but she needed to know her one true love was too.

Rings of fires engulfed homes and the once green land was now black.

Children cried out for their parents, and parents tossed over boards and shards of glass in search of their little ones.

The girl never stopped.

Would she ever find her love?

"Hold your loved ones tight in your arms, never let go."

****

A long, long time ago, so very long ago, he was 14.

He said goodbye to his family and promised not to shed a tear.

He had to be strong.

I listened quietly as the wrinkled face glistened with pride and honor.

A single photograph of a man hung proudly on the old cement wall.

The man had been a proud patriot who gave his all as a Kamikaze pilot.

I felt the warmth of this man who hung silently on the wall, the love he must have had for his family.

He never had the chance to say goodbye.

To see his son grow up into the grandfather he was to me.

It was then that he saw her, the young woman who ran without knowing.

Through the fires and black rains, she was beautiful.

Nothing could stop her.

"Don't ever lose sight of what's important, hold them tight and never let go."

In a time that many have forgotten,

in a place where this story will never be read,

I listened to my grandmother and watched as the silent drops fell from the leathery face of the once young man.

They didn't have much, but they had each other.

I must share their message...

I have to...

I want to...

once upon a very very long time ago...