I watch the lacy wings of my grandmother’s favorite butterfly, letting the sun rays stream through the gauzy curtains and shine upon her wrinkled face. My grandmother, the keeper of my heart and the bearer of all my woes. She told me once that once we leave this earth, we walk along the golden-paved paths to our final destination. To a place of tranquility and solace, a glass palace in the sky of everlasting peace, watching over our friends and family.

However, the selfish thing is that, I don’t want her to leave. Not when the skies still bloom coral clouds and shine with bright opal skies. This is my decision, to never let her go. To hold on to the silk that binds us together. My eyes rest upon her face, my hand cupping her cheeks.

“Don’t go. Stay with me please,” I whisper softly.

My grandmother’s lips curl into a smile, still glistening with never-ending affection. She turns to me and says, her tone unwavering, “My angel, my granddaughter, my best friend, you need to let go of me. Love me and cherish me but don’t blame yourself for the inevitable. I will always love you.”

I look at her eyes welling up, silver rivulets stream down my cheeks as I reminisce our memories and the things that keep me from letting go. From letting go of the person I love the most. She knows and I know that her time is soon, when the coral clouds and opal skies start to darken into the shadow-laden sky and the moon-drenched clouds. She remains smiling, eyes closed and hands resting on the sheets. Her path to the next world forms. Now, I’ve decided that I can let go, that I can set her free into the open sky, over mountains, oceans and fields. Into the night and into the heavens. To never forget, to always love and cherish but to finally let go.

Like the favorite butterflies you adored so much, take flight into the glass palace, into the heavens where you belong, Grandma.

    0 0 votes
    Post Rating
    2 Comments
    Oldest
    Newest Most Voted
    Inline Feedbacks
    View all comments
    Lotchie Carmelo
    Lotchie Carmelo(@lotchie-carmelo)
    2 years ago

    This really makes me cry. I feel the intense emotion of sadness. I am suddenly weeping–my tears are shedding. I remembered my father who passed away by a vehicular accident last 2017. Same as you Ariel, I don’t want to let go of him, even in my dreams–I can’t let him go. I love my dearest father so much but the saddest part is that I am obliged to him go.

    Katerina Bizirtsaki
    Katerina Bizirtsaki(@katerina-bizirtsaki)
    2 years ago

    The descriptions in this short story are out-of-this-world! You did an excellent job, Ariel!

    Recent Comments

    2
    0
    Selected Authors may submit comments (5 Credits)x
    ()
    x
    Scroll to Top

    Sharing a Post

    Why do my friends need to SignIn to read the post I shared?

    Actually, this is a voting security feature. During public voting, only club members can read posts submitted for that contest. Since anyone reading the story is able to vote (click the Like button), we reserve these capabilities to members who SignIn. Before we implemented this security feature, people were voting multiple times and making the public voting process unfair and out of balance. To fix this, our staff finally decided to allow only members who SignIn to read the stories. Membership is free and easy, and ensures our club is safe, secure, and family-friendly!