She’s a good girl. She’ll carry me up the mountain. She prepares my meals and launders my clothes and bathes me. She mends and sews and brings me healing herbs.
This is how it is. I carried her in her youth and now she carries me in my old age. It’s the circle of life. At the end, she will carry me all the way up the mountain to the stars.
But who will carry her when her time comes?
Friday fictioneers is a weekly challenge set by Rochelle Wisoff Fields to write a 100-word story in response to a photo prompt. You can find other stories here
Neil MacDonald Author 
Your narrator can only hope and trust that his carer’s compassion will continuously earn her friendships that maintain to the end of her life. Almost unbearably sad for me, this piece, but its elegantly conveyed message is so perfectly constructed.
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Thanks so much, Jilly. What a lovely comment
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I believe what goes around comes around. She’ll be alright. What a worry for the parent though.
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What goes around comes around, but not necessarily to the orginator. Rewards are unevenly distributed
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It seems the circle of life can be broken.
Thought-provoking piece, Neil
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Thanks so much, CE
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This echoes the fears of who will take care of us when we become old and weak. Although in this case, he worries for his child when she gets old. I’d like to think that she will receive what she gave. But sometimes life isn’t that kind.
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Thanks, Fatima. No, life can be capricious
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That is a question so many childless people eventually ask I think.
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If only they’d thought earlier
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Dear Neil,
Tender and poignantly thoughtful piece on the circle of life.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks so much, Rochelle
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Beautiful thoughtful piece.
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Thanks so much, Joshua
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Perhaps the angels will carry her home when her time comes, but a person with such a giving, caring spirit will eventually make close friends. Beautiful story.
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Thanks. You’re right. People like her
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I have a strong feeling that you wrote this from a woman’s pov, and that it is the child’s mother speaking. Well done; it carries conviction.
I expect one of her sister’s daughters will carry her when the time comes; I hope so, anyway.
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You’re right. I imagined the child being referred to as a woman
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She’s earned her right to a helping hand in whatever form that takes. A beautifully written piece Niel.
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Thanks so much, Keith
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Unfortunately there’s no guarantee that virtue will be rewarded in ways that can be recognized. Life is often so fickle
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None at all, but we always hope for fairness
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This piece breathes. Lovely! 🙂
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What a lovely thing to say. Thanks
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🙂 Tis truth! 🙂
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Neil, I enjoyed your tender story. Have faith.
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Thanks so much, Jade
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Very well done, Neil. A question I ask more and more these days.
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I’m glad it touched a chord
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If only the State provided a free, compassionate and comprehensive social care system that took these worries away from the elderly… Maybe one day.
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What a good idea, Iain!
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I spent this afternoon at a nursing home, I was impressed by many individuals resilience,
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Thanks for reading, Michael
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I like how you were prompted. A friend took this photo and I liked it knowing some good stories would come. Yes, what about those who have no one? I’m lucky, I do. You can see her work here… https://instaology.com/
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Those who have no-one have to get up the mountain as best they can by themselves
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This is poignant. I had that thought when my dad died from the opposite viewpoint. I had no interest in having kids until then. Now, I joke that I’m going to be the guy somebody finds in his apartment two weeks after he died, half-eaten by cats, and I don’t even have cats. I have time, but time has a funny way of running out. It’s scary.
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Thanks so much. Get a cat. It may eat you, but at least it’ll be company
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most of our worries never happen. i want to believe she’ll be alright.
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She probably will, She’s a nice lady
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Beautifully written and no, there are no guarantees in life but that shouldn’t stop us from giving of ourselves. I like to think it will bounce back to her in time.
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Thanks so much, Dale, I’m sure she’ll be alright
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I think so 🙂
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She’s spent so much time caring for him, she’s at risk of having no-one when her time comes.
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Her sacrifice will have been noted
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Excellent piece, Neil. Thought provoking and tenderly written.
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Thanks so much, Sandra
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Ooooo there is a deep sadness here. Beautifully written
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Thanks so much, Laurie
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That is always the worry we have for our children I think. We do for them, they do for us, and hopefully they have someone to lean on when we’re gone. Good writing!
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Thanks so much, Russell
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A thoughtful piece, Neil. I am sure someone as caring as this will find her own carer when needed.
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We can surely hope so
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A poignant story beautifully written, and thought-provoking too. I do hope her sacrifice comes back around and she has someone to care for her.
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Thanks so much, Brenda
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Taking care of each other is inherently scorched on our psyche, although at times we want to walk away. We all like to think we can care for ourselves until it is too late..
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The myth of immortality
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Beautifully told and so poignant Neil, I really like your story.
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Thanks so much
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Heartwarming description of a loving family cycle. Until the moment when you blindside us with the tragedy of the younger woman foregoing the joys of motherhood, herself.
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She’ll have to rely on the kindness of strangers
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She is young, responsible, and bright. I’m sure she will garner relationships that will last.
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I think so too
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A touching story Neil, beautifully written.
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Thanks so much
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Sad story. Very thought provoking.
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Thanks so much, Dawn
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A poignant piece. Even if one has children, there’s no guarantee that they will be around when one needs them.
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Thanks, Magarisa
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