Sheryl Jacob
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
The door slowly clicked close, and they immediately knew that it was final; that it was the end,
and the beginning. Something new, but something unwelcome in the midst of their very busy
lives, and promises that they had to fulfil.
It was summer, and they were stuck indoors; community beaches and parties ignored. “Only for
a month, or two.” They said, but they hadn’t seen it all yet, hadn’t experienced the grief and
impatience felt while waiting for a door to be opened again. For them to welcome the busy lives
they so desperately wanted to escape from, before it all struck them.
An uninvited curse, and invisible ghost that lingered all around them. The cause of their constant
fear and caution, the reason a loved one stayed away.
Summer turned to fall, fall turned to winter; but it didn’t change sadly. Sacrifices were still to be
made. Promises were left to change. Dreams still had to wait. Not for all, but at least for a few.
But, they grew. They didn’t realize it, didn’t have that moment of epiphany, but they still grew.
Older, younger, wiser, colder, warmer, sadder, happier, calmer.
Some curled into themselves like a flower drying up, but they’ll bloom again, sooner, faster, and
they’ll shine so bright the world will feel a lot more warmer.
Some curled outwards, to others. A sunflower soaking up the sun’s warmth. Learned how
support meant a warm hand against theirs in the unknown wait, a shoulder for others to lean
against.
Hearts grew closer to the ones they never knew, closer to the ones that they did know, the ones
that they once did know.
It’s strange how the world changed, how they’ve changed. Still waiting, but no longer hopeless.
For they have a warm hand against theirs, and medieval letters on the table, sharing hope,
warmth and care. Telling wilted flowers that their time for full bloom is so, so close.
