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Parting Wisdom

Choose love always.

By Michael CronePublished 2 years ago 7 min read
2

“I think this is it.” Carean mumbles to no one. He pulls the backpack off his shoulder and begins to rummage around inside. He panics for a moment. “Did I forget it?” A sense of relief as his hand touches the journal. He opens to the bookmarked page where an old tree, twisted and beautiful, is drawn; A large X at its base, near a root emerging from the dirt. Carean searches for the spot. Once found, he removes the small garden shovel from his backpack and plunges it into the earth. After some time… Clink! His shovel strikes something metal.

“Finally.” He sighs, scooping the rest of the dirt away with his hands and revealing a locked metal chest. He pulls the rusted box from the ground and removes a small iron key from his pocket. Click. The lock falls open. He lifts the lid and gazes down at the contents within. The first item that catches his eye is a faded gold flask. It is worn and weathered, heavy, and still filled with liquid. The initials R.L are crudely carved into the lid. Carean opens the journal. He ruffles through the pages for some time before finding the proper entry.

“Rachel’s Flask.” It reads. “This flask was my father's. He carried it through the war. It was given to me on his deathbed a few years after he returned. It inspired me to join the military. I wanted to be a soldier, just like him. Instead, I was assigned to the nursing ward. I tried my hardest to follow orders but my soul wasn’t cut out for that. I snuck away in the middle of the night. I shaved off my hair and wrapped my bosom, disguising myself as a man so I could fight on the front lines with the rest of the heroes. Had I known the things I’d see I might have changed my mind. Still, I am grateful for much I would not have learned otherwise. During and after, this flask carried me through most of it. Many shared drinks with friends and loved ones. Many lonely nights keeping me company, drowning out the sorrows of war that still echoed in my mind. Now, after a long battle, I’m sober. I no longer see a need for the company I kept. I’ve filled the flask with my favorite bourbon. All I ask, should you choose to partake, is that you refill it once it’s gone. My parting wisdom… do not hold yourself back from taking brave and daring adventures, no matter how terrifying they may appear. You will never know what you might learn until you take that first step.” Carean unscrews the cap and takes a deep sniff. The fumes are strong and burn his nostrils.

“No thanks, Rachel.” He screws the top back on and lays the flask back in the box. He sifts through a few items before a faded silver case sparks his interest. The hinges screech as he opens it. Inside lay a matching deck of cards. One sheathed in a white box the other in black. Carean opens the black pack and slides the metallic silver-faced cards into his hand. They reflect the rays of the sun as they shine through the forest canopy. At first glance, it looks as though the cards have no symbols, but with a slight tilt of the cards the light reveals the images. “These are cool.” He flips through the journal, looking for the item's description.

“Marden’s Cards. Hi, It’s me Marden. This card set is one of my favorite possessions. I stumbled upon them in an antique shop of all places. I’m coming to the end of my life and will no longer be needing them. Don’t be sad for me. I lived many wonderful years and I truly believe death is just the start of something new. These cards have kept me entertained on rainy days with games like golf and solitaire. They’ve helped me win poker tournaments… lots and lots of cash! They’ve revealed to me my future. They’ve created magic and so much joy for those who stopped by to watch. They’ve been privy to many laughs and stories over many a friendly match with loved ones. I leave them behind in the hope they will do the same for you should you choose to embark with them. Parting wisdom? Hmm, let me think for a moment. I guess I will reiterate… remember that you can never choose the hand life deals you. All you can do is play your best with the cards you have. Whether you bluff, fold or win, be sure to hold your head high amongst the final outcome. For you did the best you could with what you were given.”

Carean continues to investigate a few more items. Reading through the descriptions as he investigates. A pocket watch from his great great grandfather, a newspaper article about his great aunt, and his grandpa and grandma's wedding bands. After almost completely emptying the box he finally finds what he's been searching for. He flips a few pages in the journal before finding the entry and reading eagerly.

“Lucia’s Locket. Inside this locket is my heart.” Carean opens the locket and stares at the picture of him and his sister as young children. “I couldn’t be more proud of being a mother to the two of you.” Tears begin to fill Carean’s eyes as he reads on. “The time we had together was some of the happiest moments in my life.” One of the tears slips from the corner of his eye and rolls down his cheek, landing softly in the dirt below. “Carean and Sakara, if you ever read this, I want you to know that I love you. I miss you every day that I am gone. I know we didn’t get much time together and I know it doesn’t seem fair, but I hope you've remained the happy and optimistic children you always were. I hope against the hardness of the world, you’ve remained soft and compassionate. I promise you that I will be by your side, watching over you, until we meet each other again. No matter what you face in this life, my wish is that you remember everything you learned from me. About kindness. About love. I pray that health and happiness surround you and that you always see the best in humanity, even when it seems hard to find. Until I can wrap you both in my arms again. With love from your mother. My parting wisdom is that it is not about the time we are given, but what we leave behind in others that truly makes a difference in this world.”

Carean sits at the base of the tree and holds the locket tight. He cries, letting years of sadness and anger release from his heart. After all the tears have been shed, Carean puts the locket around his neck. He begins to put the items back into the box, remembering the story behind each one. Once the box is full he begins to write his own entry.

“Carean’s Dice. Life, like the roll of dice, is mostly about chance. You can set yourself up for the greatest successes and still experience the greatest failures. You think it is a six and then the dice rolls over once more. I’ve traveled through life looking for a way to be remembered. The loss of my mom impacted me greatly. I was afraid that if I disappeared without doing something incredible that I would be forgotten. Now I understand that simply being alive, surrounded by the ones you love, is what matters most at the end of it all. I add my item to the box and smile, knowing that this is the way that I’ll be remembered. Maybe it will be my children or their children who find this box and look back on the people that came before them. Maybe this will be the last time the box is ever found. Whatever the outcome, I add my dice to the box in the hopes that someone will come looking for answers and find peace the same way I did.”

Carean drops the bag of dice into the chest and closes the lid, locking it tight once more. He spends time making sure it is properly buried before wiping the dirt from his hands and clothes. He looks down at the locket, wiping away one last tear before finishing his entry.

“Parting Wisdom. No matter what you do with the time you are given, should you choose to live your life with love, you will never be forgotten. Choose love always.”

Short Story
2

About the Creator

Michael Crone

Fiction, Poetry, and everything in between. Hints of life and love. The world we share comes to life within the words of the page. Thank you for taking the time to read. Enjoy <3

Reader insights

Outstanding

Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!

Top insights

  1. Easy to read and follow

    Well-structured & engaging content

  2. Excellent storytelling

    Original narrative & well developed characters

  3. Eye opening

    Niche topic & fresh perspectives

  1. Heartfelt and relatable

    The story invoked strong personal emotions

  2. On-point and relevant

    Writing reflected the title & theme

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Comments (1)

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  • Adam Stanbridge2 years ago

    Amazing story! With just a few lines you could feel the love this family had in their hearts. Bravo.

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