I entered the cool darkness of the chapel and felt immediate relief from the heat and the harsh glare of the sun. I went seeking some time to gather my emotions. As usual, after a visit to Andrew, my heart ached with sadness. I felt anger at the waste of his life and futility that there was nothing that could change his situation.
I suppose I went to the chapel seeking the answer to the question that has haunted me for 15 years. WHY? Why Andrew, why me, why should our family have to experience so much pain? My brain knows there is no answer but my heart still seeks it.
I glanced up at the window and saw this ghostly apparition. A figure surrounded by sadness but offering consolation.
I left the chapel again knowing that there is no answer to why but there is consolation if you look for it.
This post is written to a photo prompt. The above prompt can be found at: Thursday photo prompt – Glimpsed – #writephoto, at svincent.com.
Lovely Bernadette. Sometimes we never get an answer.
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Those unanswered griefs remain like an ephemeral shroud …. The very definition of haunting.
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Bernadette, I think you just hit on the way to help handle the unanswerable pain, suffering and grief in our lives. May we always be able to find the consolation that is there for us in our most difficult times, however and whatever it is.
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Thanks Nancy for writing. Sadness can be very haunting.
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I am happy that you found some consolation, Bernadette. I think it is beyond us to understand the reason for the events in our lives and the lives of people we love. I am learning to accept and release some things in my life.
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I agree…There will always be those unanswered questions that haunt us. This piece is lovely. …poignant and beautiful.
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Those questions that cannot be answered, at least fully…. are tough! Diane
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We often have no answers do we! Lovely dear Bernadette xx
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This flows with ease and is very moving, Bernadette. I really enjoyed reading this and a great response to the prompt.
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I was in an old church myself yesterday. I would describe myself as a spiritual atheist but I love old churches. I love the history and of walking the same path as thousands of others before me, but I also feel at peace there. It is the one place it feels right to be when dealing with something so sad or unfathomable, or when one is so tightly strung it feels like you would snap. After the bad news day previously and concern for a blogging friend too, it was just the place I needed to be. And inevitably at these times, I hadn’t planned to be anywhere near a church, I was just drawn there. Lovely post.
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There is something very compelling about the atmosphere of an old church. Thanks for reading and commenting.
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Definitely. I used to be a bellringer at a small village church between the ages of 11 and 14. I had to stand on an wooden orange crate to reach the rope!
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[…] Bernadette at Haddon Musings […]
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Thank you for the shout out. Did I post this incorrectly? I want to keep participating.
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No link appears to have come through, Bernadette, but I have posted a link in the round-up. Pingbacks are notoriously capricious… if it doesn’t show up, just add a link in the comments. by copying the https address.
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Thank you Sue
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🙂
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