Photo prompt ©Bjӧrn Rudberg
Lately I have to physically stop people bumping into me. It’s true. When a woman loses pigment and elasticity the wide world and all his crazy servants become blind to her body and deaf to her mind.
I hope you understand. You see, this sign is not a warning. It’s an invitation just for me. And I have accepted. I am ready to find out what’s next.
I promise that your brilliant blue-topaz eyes will still see the very sequins of me bedazzling our precious patch of velvet sky. My love for you is immortal.
Please don’t be cross.
Sugar on the Bee 
I had to read this a few times and still sense that I am missing stuff – but that is a good thing – 🙂 at least I think so.
anyhow, what I did pick up on was a sense of natural aging and healthy embracing of this – with “wellness” at the core of the outlook.
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She knows she is coming to the end of her life. She wants her daughter to understand why she is doing it by choice.
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oh – thx
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That can be read so many ways, Jilly, but many of them end in death. I liked the way this teased and I liked the accepting joy of it
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Absolutely. This morning the news reported a Dignitas-type place opening in the Channel Islands then somebody walked straight into me in the street and I knitted the two ideas into the story.
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I hope she welcomes age and her eventual death well. It took me a couple readings to try to figure it out
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Thank you. She is happy with herself. Just wants that to be understood.
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We’re the one’s who know best, not some clinician. I hope her daughter understands and watches out for the sequins.
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Thank you for your lovely comment, Jane. You got it spot on.
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It’s a good story and told in a very light happy way for such a heavy subject.
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So did she kill herself or just let age take her away?
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She is accepting her time is running out so she has no fear of ignoring the warning signs and leaves it to fate – though she might give fate a little nudge eventually.
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Like it very much and as its Emma’s 19th death day approaching I totally feel what you have write . Thanks Jilly see you tomorrow xxx
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Thank you, Yvonne. So nice to hear from you. See you tomorrow xxx
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Touching message, very well written.
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Thank you, Iain.
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Oh, Jilly. This is so sad! Your second paragraph is stunning. So simple and yet powerful. And the title is heart-rending.
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Thank you, Penny, great comments from you.
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Very touching story, Jilly. But I like the voice of the mother. There is acceptance, not resignation. Well done.
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Very perceptive comment, Varad, thank you. The mother is content and wants nothing but peace and happiness for her daughter.
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This ties so well to the old stories in Scandinavia of Ättestupa … the place where old people go to end their life not to be a burden…
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Thank you Bjorn, you have totally got it. I really appreciate that.
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Like Prior, I had to read it a couple of times. I’m sure the daughter will read it endlessly. Death is a natural part of life, but hard to accept when it’s your parent.
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Ah, how I understand well the super power of the mature lady – invisibility. We don’t need fancy cloaks and potions, just laughter lines and a smattering of grey hair and voila! Invisible to all but those that know us well.
I hope her daughter can understand her decision and let her go with love. It’s hard, but we all get to a point when we think ‘enough’s enough.’ Sadly, many of us live past this point. Lyrical story Jilly
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Dear Jill,
I read your reply to the first comment and am happy to say I got it. How sad that when the hair goes gray, people seem to think the mind’s gone blank. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A touching tale which is open to interpretation by the reader. Excellent.
Click to read my 100 Word Story!
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Sequins in a velvet sky – such an evocative phrase. Well done.
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Thank you, Sandra.
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I read it a few times – the title and the photo are vital in the meaning of this (it’s not always the case), It’s very powerful, I love the last line.
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Thank you, Anna, I appreciate your comments very much.
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Hoo boy. I’m old enough to identify with “When a woman loses pigment and elasticity the wide world and all his crazy servants become blind to her body and deaf to her mind.”
Fortunately for me, my work actually honors my grey hair and my years. People tend to think I know what I’m doing because I’m old. Been around the block a few time 🙂
This is really a thought-provoking piece. Well done.
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Thank you so much. It seems to be you are definitely in the right job and I bet you do know what you’re doing. I reckon I’ve been around that block a good few times myself! I appreciate your comments and how you “got” that opening phrase. At first I was only going to refer to blindness then I thought about it and wrote the deaf phrase as well.
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This was absolutely beautiful, Jilly.
Not all cultures see old people as faded and forgotten…
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Thank you so much, Dale. Unfortunately in the UK the obsession with staying youthful is rampant. But I have firm faith in the power of love (good song title??) and I hope that showed in my story.
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Not just in the UK, sadly.
It definitely did show. I loved it.
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Old age is scary indeed for many, great to see that she is ready to hug it.
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Thank you, I like the idea of the hugging of old age. Sadly too many people are battling to appear young.
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After a long life, she has nothing more to fear.
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Exactly. Her life has been lived well because it has so much love in it.
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The comments helped me to comprehend this piece. The issue is a conundrum of ethical, social and cultural values – yet I believe that the right to death is simply a corollary of right to live. An introspective read.
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Thank you very much. And all generated by a wonky weird little sign on a levada! That’s why I love writing.
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‘I promise that your brilliant blue-topaz eyes will still see the very sequins of me bedazzling our precious patch of velvet sky.’ Loved this line.
I wonder what is her relationship like with her daughter, and how her daughter would react when she reads this letter.
Wonderfully written, Jilly. It’s such a pleasure reading your Friday fiction.
Have a lovely weekend!
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Thank you, Moon, for your lovely encouraging response. And I hope you have a lovely weekend too, best of wishes, Jilly.
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Brilliant story. Very heartfelt.
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Thank you very much, Lisa, for your generous comments.
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Gosh… this is very deep. And sad. We do become invisible as time goes on
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Thank you Laurie. This week’s will be upbeat :))
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Beautiful and poignant story about last thoughts as she accepts the end of her life. Such poetry in this letter to her daughter!
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Thank you, Jan, you are very kind.
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I’m lost on this one Jilly. I can be abstract with pictures,,,, but word throw me all the time. Just saying.
Kindly,
;-D an
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Thank you, Dan, I appreciate your comments. I have sometimes have a similar problem with interpreting the poems in The New Yorker!
I enjoyed your story. All the best, Jilly :))
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Ha ha, I feel like saying, “It’s me, not you.” Most memorable poem for me is. Roses are red, violets are blue. Most poems rhyme, but this one doesn’t.
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I would like to go this way – accepting and comfortable with the idea.
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Thank you, Dahlia, for your empathy. She knows she’s been fortunate and blessed so it’s easier to accept the inevitable.
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This is a lovely letter. I can feel her joy, and yet, it leaves me feeling inexplicably sad.
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It is sad that once a woman reaches a certain age or physical stage she becomes invisible to those around her. A powerful story.
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