An11
08-06-2014, 08:47 AM
Have so many stories in my head and trying to develop a writing style to get them out and the confidence to write more. Many thanks to all who read......all thoughts and feedback gratefully received to help me move forwards. Thanks all
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The marriage was in difficulty and they both knew it. They had talked and talked but always seemed to go around the same circle, round and round. This time was no different. It was as if they talked a different language these days.
Perhaps this time would be different. The marriage guidance counsellor came highly recommended and seemed to have an unorthodox approach.
Predictably, the session soon deteriorated in into the usual bickering
“You never help around the house” Sarah shouted.
“I have worked hard for my family” responded Paul.
“The house doesn’t clean itself, who do you think cleans it?” flashed back Sarah, remembering the hours she had toiled keeping the house clean and tidy. She sensed that if she forced Paul into a corner she could win the argument and the approval of the counsellor. Then they could all go home.
“My cleaning is never good enough” retorted Paul, as his mind wandered to the past. “In fact nothing I ever do is good enough for you” he hissed as he stood to leave the room, remembering the almost unbearable pain of constant criticism. He always sought relief by removing himself from the pain and this time was no different.
“Typical” shouted Sarah, sensing victory “Run away like you always do, you are a coward Paul”.
The counsellor watched the proceedings, his head bowed slightly with eyes looking over his half rimmed glasses. There was an air of wisdom about his presence as he motioned to Paul to sit down.
The room fell silent as Paul dropped back down to his seat waiting to be scolded yet again. Sarah looked at Paul and sensing victory, she looked back at the counsellor waiting for the approval that would surely come.
The counsellor looked at Sarah then Paul then back to Sarah, letting the combination of silence and time diffuse their emotions. Sarah watched as he reached into his pocket pulling out a well used notepad.
“Do you have a pen?” he asked while tearing out two sheets from the notepad, giving one to each of them.
Sarah, eager to show she was well prepared, reached into her handbag. She had two pens but Paul wasn’t having one. She pulled one out for herself.
Paul fumbled in his pocket, shrugging his shoulders as he pulled out a few coins and an empty cigarette packet but no pen.
“I’m sorry” said the counsellor, “I don’t seem to have a spare pen” as he watched Paul stare down at the blank page resting on his knee.
“What am I supposed to do with this pen and paper?” questioned Sarah, growing increasingly frustrated with the seemingly incompetence of the mediator in front of her.
“Well as you have a pen and paper Sarah, I guess you might as well do the exercise” said the counsellor” ignoring Sarah’s rolling of her eyes and very obvious body language.
“Ok” responded Sarah, “But let’s make it quick” she added, remembering that the weeks shopping needed to be done later that day.
“Please write the word LOVE backwards on your paper in big bold letters starting with the letter E” the counsellor said with an air of authority in his voice that wasn’t there before.
Sarah exhaled sharply as she did as she was instructed. She took her pen and wrote the letter E in bold capital. As she mentally spelt the word LOVE backwards in her mind, she wrote the next letter V followed by an O and then L.
“Just as you write the word backwards, think backwards over your life Sarah, can you remember moments when you felt Love for Paul?”
It might have been the softly spoken words of the counsellor or the letters spelling EVOL she had written on the paper in front of her, or even the balmy heat of the room, or perhaps the fact that there was nothing else to do but Sarah’s mind wandered and she remembered the good times she had shared with Paul, times when she did indeed feel Love.
Little things came to mind at first, how he always made her toast in the morning, how good a father he was to their two children. The more she could remember, the more she sought. The more she sought, the more was revealed.
“Looking back through Love always heals”, the soft words of the counsellor danced delicately in the air as he reached over and wrote two more letters, adding them to the end of hers
Lost in a world she thought had long gone, Sarah reached into her bag for her spare pen and gently handed it to Paul sitting beside her. As she did so she looked down at the paper and read the word EVOL VE
The counsellor smiled silently. Looking back on Love had caused her to Evolve as it always does.
.................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .....
The marriage was in difficulty and they both knew it. They had talked and talked but always seemed to go around the same circle, round and round. This time was no different. It was as if they talked a different language these days.
Perhaps this time would be different. The marriage guidance counsellor came highly recommended and seemed to have an unorthodox approach.
Predictably, the session soon deteriorated in into the usual bickering
“You never help around the house” Sarah shouted.
“I have worked hard for my family” responded Paul.
“The house doesn’t clean itself, who do you think cleans it?” flashed back Sarah, remembering the hours she had toiled keeping the house clean and tidy. She sensed that if she forced Paul into a corner she could win the argument and the approval of the counsellor. Then they could all go home.
“My cleaning is never good enough” retorted Paul, as his mind wandered to the past. “In fact nothing I ever do is good enough for you” he hissed as he stood to leave the room, remembering the almost unbearable pain of constant criticism. He always sought relief by removing himself from the pain and this time was no different.
“Typical” shouted Sarah, sensing victory “Run away like you always do, you are a coward Paul”.
The counsellor watched the proceedings, his head bowed slightly with eyes looking over his half rimmed glasses. There was an air of wisdom about his presence as he motioned to Paul to sit down.
The room fell silent as Paul dropped back down to his seat waiting to be scolded yet again. Sarah looked at Paul and sensing victory, she looked back at the counsellor waiting for the approval that would surely come.
The counsellor looked at Sarah then Paul then back to Sarah, letting the combination of silence and time diffuse their emotions. Sarah watched as he reached into his pocket pulling out a well used notepad.
“Do you have a pen?” he asked while tearing out two sheets from the notepad, giving one to each of them.
Sarah, eager to show she was well prepared, reached into her handbag. She had two pens but Paul wasn’t having one. She pulled one out for herself.
Paul fumbled in his pocket, shrugging his shoulders as he pulled out a few coins and an empty cigarette packet but no pen.
“I’m sorry” said the counsellor, “I don’t seem to have a spare pen” as he watched Paul stare down at the blank page resting on his knee.
“What am I supposed to do with this pen and paper?” questioned Sarah, growing increasingly frustrated with the seemingly incompetence of the mediator in front of her.
“Well as you have a pen and paper Sarah, I guess you might as well do the exercise” said the counsellor” ignoring Sarah’s rolling of her eyes and very obvious body language.
“Ok” responded Sarah, “But let’s make it quick” she added, remembering that the weeks shopping needed to be done later that day.
“Please write the word LOVE backwards on your paper in big bold letters starting with the letter E” the counsellor said with an air of authority in his voice that wasn’t there before.
Sarah exhaled sharply as she did as she was instructed. She took her pen and wrote the letter E in bold capital. As she mentally spelt the word LOVE backwards in her mind, she wrote the next letter V followed by an O and then L.
“Just as you write the word backwards, think backwards over your life Sarah, can you remember moments when you felt Love for Paul?”
It might have been the softly spoken words of the counsellor or the letters spelling EVOL she had written on the paper in front of her, or even the balmy heat of the room, or perhaps the fact that there was nothing else to do but Sarah’s mind wandered and she remembered the good times she had shared with Paul, times when she did indeed feel Love.
Little things came to mind at first, how he always made her toast in the morning, how good a father he was to their two children. The more she could remember, the more she sought. The more she sought, the more was revealed.
“Looking back through Love always heals”, the soft words of the counsellor danced delicately in the air as he reached over and wrote two more letters, adding them to the end of hers
Lost in a world she thought had long gone, Sarah reached into her bag for her spare pen and gently handed it to Paul sitting beside her. As she did so she looked down at the paper and read the word EVOL VE
The counsellor smiled silently. Looking back on Love had caused her to Evolve as it always does.