DEW

New beginnings
Painful endings

Bright lights flashed blindingly along the road. She had not seen anything like this before. She stared in disbelief as one light after the other flashed by but staying in tact. Not moving. She fell asleep as the van speeded along, smoothly-rolling to the beat of the hymn.

She walked up the hill in the dark. She clung tightly to the hand. This hand was always there. She worried about loosing this holding of hands. She was comforted when she held on and never wanted to let go.

She had to let go for a moment as she stumbled on a small rock
and fell. Her knees hurt. She felt afraid in the darkness. Her reliable hand felt for her in the dark. It pulled her up. The light from the lamp shone dimly as they struggled along the bushy pathway.

She was shaken awake. The hymn played along as the van came to a halt. Lots of lights shone. Everywhere there were lights. In the darkness of the cold street, there was light.

The houses were so close together. Why? She couldn’t understand how the street was just lines of houses.

The black door opened and the passage was long and narrow. Different rooms on two floors. She shivered in the coldness of the house even though heaters were on. She shivered and shivered until she was put to bed and covered with warm blankets.

The BOAC flight which she came on was also cold . They wrapped her in a blanket. Her pretty yellow lace dress was suitable for the heat but not the cold. She clung on to the blanket and contendly slept for the duration of the flight.

Oh the joy. The great joy of parents and children being unified again. It was great joy. Altogether again. For ever and ever. Amen.

The great worry went. There were now lots of hands to hold and no more talk of who would be sent for first.

One day she would return. Yes. As soon as she could work and pay her fare. She would do that. She would never forget the younger hands that did not survive the separation. Those little hands enabled new beginnings. Thank you little hands. I am still holding the hand that lifted me when I fell but you fell. I saw you. In the darkness. You sacrificed. This painful ending came because of you. Dearest little hands. Muchas gracias.

Doreen Wilson
4/5/2020