A
ayeess
Guest
Heyy all,
After reading about the prodigal's son (LUKE 15:11-32), I was inspired to write this story but with a 21st century/female point of view. I hope you are blessed by it and leave comments/criticisms. Thanks yallll!
https://www.facebook.com/notes/aye-sohi-amneet/prodigal-daughter/431665033622220
The Prodigal Daughter
She stared into His eyes, they were like flaming torches(1). She observed the flames jumping and heard them crackling. She turned her head to the actual fire place and not the reflection she saw in her Fathers eyes; she watched as the fire engulfed the logs.
There was a long silence.
He broke the fragile silence with His firm but soft voice. My daughter, youve broken my heart. I love you with an endless love; yet, you want to run from under my roof, my covering, my shadow in which you have perfect security and peace? You say Im controlling but, do you not see I have only kept you from that which harms you? As a hen gathers her chicks under her wings(2), that is how I desire to keep you. I
Stop it, dad ! retorted Tahiri. She disliked when her dad would break into nonsensical poetry with his extravagant metaphors and baroque language. It was like a wind chime in a hurricane to her, the clanging irritated her and she just could not stand it any longer. Everything about him was so old-fashioned, his speech, his clothing, and especially his values! She was so over it! She didnt care that she was only eighteen with no clear path carved out; she wanted to live her life to the fullest. She was ready to blow this Popsicle stand.
My daughter, your request burdens my heart but, I will not force you to stay, her father whispered.
She could see that He was indeep pain. It was difficult for her to see a man of such great stature and strength bent over in such grief and sadness(3); he looked so weak. She looked at his broad shoulders shaking from his silent cry and she reminisced when those very shoulders carried her from place to place. She resisted the desire to comfort him; she resigned herself to her will and reminded herself of what she had purposed in her heart.
Ill lock the door on my way out, she replied. Tahiri gathered all the strength she could muster up, she didnt need it to pull her tightly packed suit case; but, she needed the strength to turn aside from her Father and walk out of His life, walk out of his hopes and dreams for her future.
Tahiri walked the short distance from the family room to the front door. It almost felt like the walk a felon would take to the electric chair, she silently prayed this would not be indicative of her life outside of her Fathers home. But then again, death and birth were closely related, werent they? This walk would represent the death of her old life and the birthing of her new life. She felt confused already; she pushed her thoughts aside and closed the front door.
She turned and was looking down the pathway in front of her house. She observed it keenly and it looked wider than she had remembered it(4) , she wondered if this related to her new found freedom. She fixed her eyes on the young man waiting for her on the road, his motorcycle idling. The wind blew in her direction and she got a whiff of his cologne, she felt like she walked into a hardware store, she loved that smell. She positioned herself behind him; she hugged his chest with her arms. He asked her how it went; she had her ear to his back and his voice bellowed through his insides and connected with her ear drums. She looked up and pressed her lips to his back and replied, It could have gone better, I guess.
The top of his leather jacket tightened as he grabbed the handle bars. His shoulders were so broad; they reminded her of a city skyline. Her hand slipped lower to his rib, she felt so secure with her head on his back, she felt as though she were a part of him, she fit perfectly between his shoulder blades. She continued to rest her head on his back as they rode into darkness; she listened to the hum of the motorcycle to soothe her.
5 months later.
Tahiri loved reading from a young age; she had always been a lover and admirer of words. Her fathers words would encourage and strengthen her; they would soothe and quiet her restless soul. Sometimes he would sing over her with His baritone voice. She recalls the Sunday mornings when He would wake her up by singing her name, Ta-he-reeeee. Whenever she heard Him say her name, it affirmed who she was. But now words took on another role, no longer were they food and sustenance to her bones or something to rejoice over, this was something she wasnt use to, words had become her enemy, and they assailed her as curses. She was surrounded by broken promises, verbal insults, words that were just words, backed by no true conviction, only used to aid and abet a criminal ready to steal and destroy.
The other day, she feigned weakness when lifting a box, hoping her vulnerability would incite the buried but, instinctive drive to protect and care for the weaker vessel. He remained unmoved. She wished she had trained her ears to discern and sort out truth from lies. She imagined her right ear as an colander, she wish she could lean to the right side and have all the lies drain out while holding onto the truth; even though her surroundings were dull and dreary, her imagination remained lively, limitless and abounded all the more as to ameliorate the effects of her new environment. She realizes now that she chose a prison over a palace. She had never experienced scarcity before. She had experienced many new things in her now prison.
She remembers looking at the blood soaked sheets. Her Father had explained to her that the shedding of blood was significant in that it represented the sealing of a covenant. But there was no covenant here, only curious children dull to the voice of reason, rushing towards fleeting pleasures that satisfy for the moment but, leave empty and bare.
The memories haunted her and she recalls the exact moment when she traded in her purity. She felt so vile and betrayed. As they peaked to an unfaltering crescendo of breaths and groans, she could still hear a voice, a pestering voice, Do not awaken love before its time(5). At the moment, she thought, ugh, He taught me so well, too well.
She mused as she cleaned the bathroom, he had promised to marry her; but, the only ring he had given her was the ring of dirt around the drain she was presently scrubbing. A fire burned in her veins. She reminded herself to not be overcome by bitterness that would surely poison her and add to her decay.
She sat countless minutes, hours, and days just thinking and reasoning within herself as to her next step. She couldnt stay here, she couldnt stay with him. Questions plagued her mind. Where would she go? Would he come after her? Who can she turn to? Who else did she have in this world? Would her Father take her back? This tornado of questions shook her to her core; the heaviness of the world was upon her. The memories and hurt hit her like a freight train. She felt like there was a heavy cloud of darkness over her, she could no longer bear it, and she could no longer handle it. She felt like a frightened child after a nightmare, overcome, she reverted back to her native tongue, the only language she knew as a child and whimpered Abba.
There was a loud, thunderous knock at the door.
She slowly opened the door; there was a thin streak of light streaming in from the bright fluorescent light bulbs in the hallway, they seemed as bright as a hundred suns for some reason. Her eyes adjusted and she broke with happiness as she flung her arms around her Fathers neck. His powerful voice sounded like the voice of a multitude(6) as he said I love you, my treasure. Even though her Father was just one man, it felt like all of Heaven came to retrieve her and when she embraced him, she felt at home. She had reached Zion where her soul could rest; she could taste the milk and honey. She was embraced by Love and this time, she would never let go.
References
1. Daniel 10:5-6
2. Matthew 23:37
3. Isaiah 53:4
4. Matthew 7:13
5. Song of Solomon 8:4
6. Daniel 10:6
After reading about the prodigal's son (LUKE 15:11-32), I was inspired to write this story but with a 21st century/female point of view. I hope you are blessed by it and leave comments/criticisms. Thanks yallll!
https://www.facebook.com/notes/aye-sohi-amneet/prodigal-daughter/431665033622220
The Prodigal Daughter
She stared into His eyes, they were like flaming torches(1). She observed the flames jumping and heard them crackling. She turned her head to the actual fire place and not the reflection she saw in her Fathers eyes; she watched as the fire engulfed the logs.
There was a long silence.
He broke the fragile silence with His firm but soft voice. My daughter, youve broken my heart. I love you with an endless love; yet, you want to run from under my roof, my covering, my shadow in which you have perfect security and peace? You say Im controlling but, do you not see I have only kept you from that which harms you? As a hen gathers her chicks under her wings(2), that is how I desire to keep you. I
Stop it, dad ! retorted Tahiri. She disliked when her dad would break into nonsensical poetry with his extravagant metaphors and baroque language. It was like a wind chime in a hurricane to her, the clanging irritated her and she just could not stand it any longer. Everything about him was so old-fashioned, his speech, his clothing, and especially his values! She was so over it! She didnt care that she was only eighteen with no clear path carved out; she wanted to live her life to the fullest. She was ready to blow this Popsicle stand.
My daughter, your request burdens my heart but, I will not force you to stay, her father whispered.
She could see that He was indeep pain. It was difficult for her to see a man of such great stature and strength bent over in such grief and sadness(3); he looked so weak. She looked at his broad shoulders shaking from his silent cry and she reminisced when those very shoulders carried her from place to place. She resisted the desire to comfort him; she resigned herself to her will and reminded herself of what she had purposed in her heart.
Ill lock the door on my way out, she replied. Tahiri gathered all the strength she could muster up, she didnt need it to pull her tightly packed suit case; but, she needed the strength to turn aside from her Father and walk out of His life, walk out of his hopes and dreams for her future.
Tahiri walked the short distance from the family room to the front door. It almost felt like the walk a felon would take to the electric chair, she silently prayed this would not be indicative of her life outside of her Fathers home. But then again, death and birth were closely related, werent they? This walk would represent the death of her old life and the birthing of her new life. She felt confused already; she pushed her thoughts aside and closed the front door.
She turned and was looking down the pathway in front of her house. She observed it keenly and it looked wider than she had remembered it(4) , she wondered if this related to her new found freedom. She fixed her eyes on the young man waiting for her on the road, his motorcycle idling. The wind blew in her direction and she got a whiff of his cologne, she felt like she walked into a hardware store, she loved that smell. She positioned herself behind him; she hugged his chest with her arms. He asked her how it went; she had her ear to his back and his voice bellowed through his insides and connected with her ear drums. She looked up and pressed her lips to his back and replied, It could have gone better, I guess.
The top of his leather jacket tightened as he grabbed the handle bars. His shoulders were so broad; they reminded her of a city skyline. Her hand slipped lower to his rib, she felt so secure with her head on his back, she felt as though she were a part of him, she fit perfectly between his shoulder blades. She continued to rest her head on his back as they rode into darkness; she listened to the hum of the motorcycle to soothe her.
5 months later.
Tahiri loved reading from a young age; she had always been a lover and admirer of words. Her fathers words would encourage and strengthen her; they would soothe and quiet her restless soul. Sometimes he would sing over her with His baritone voice. She recalls the Sunday mornings when He would wake her up by singing her name, Ta-he-reeeee. Whenever she heard Him say her name, it affirmed who she was. But now words took on another role, no longer were they food and sustenance to her bones or something to rejoice over, this was something she wasnt use to, words had become her enemy, and they assailed her as curses. She was surrounded by broken promises, verbal insults, words that were just words, backed by no true conviction, only used to aid and abet a criminal ready to steal and destroy.
The other day, she feigned weakness when lifting a box, hoping her vulnerability would incite the buried but, instinctive drive to protect and care for the weaker vessel. He remained unmoved. She wished she had trained her ears to discern and sort out truth from lies. She imagined her right ear as an colander, she wish she could lean to the right side and have all the lies drain out while holding onto the truth; even though her surroundings were dull and dreary, her imagination remained lively, limitless and abounded all the more as to ameliorate the effects of her new environment. She realizes now that she chose a prison over a palace. She had never experienced scarcity before. She had experienced many new things in her now prison.
She remembers looking at the blood soaked sheets. Her Father had explained to her that the shedding of blood was significant in that it represented the sealing of a covenant. But there was no covenant here, only curious children dull to the voice of reason, rushing towards fleeting pleasures that satisfy for the moment but, leave empty and bare.
The memories haunted her and she recalls the exact moment when she traded in her purity. She felt so vile and betrayed. As they peaked to an unfaltering crescendo of breaths and groans, she could still hear a voice, a pestering voice, Do not awaken love before its time(5). At the moment, she thought, ugh, He taught me so well, too well.
She mused as she cleaned the bathroom, he had promised to marry her; but, the only ring he had given her was the ring of dirt around the drain she was presently scrubbing. A fire burned in her veins. She reminded herself to not be overcome by bitterness that would surely poison her and add to her decay.
She sat countless minutes, hours, and days just thinking and reasoning within herself as to her next step. She couldnt stay here, she couldnt stay with him. Questions plagued her mind. Where would she go? Would he come after her? Who can she turn to? Who else did she have in this world? Would her Father take her back? This tornado of questions shook her to her core; the heaviness of the world was upon her. The memories and hurt hit her like a freight train. She felt like there was a heavy cloud of darkness over her, she could no longer bear it, and she could no longer handle it. She felt like a frightened child after a nightmare, overcome, she reverted back to her native tongue, the only language she knew as a child and whimpered Abba.
There was a loud, thunderous knock at the door.
She slowly opened the door; there was a thin streak of light streaming in from the bright fluorescent light bulbs in the hallway, they seemed as bright as a hundred suns for some reason. Her eyes adjusted and she broke with happiness as she flung her arms around her Fathers neck. His powerful voice sounded like the voice of a multitude(6) as he said I love you, my treasure. Even though her Father was just one man, it felt like all of Heaven came to retrieve her and when she embraced him, she felt at home. She had reached Zion where her soul could rest; she could taste the milk and honey. She was embraced by Love and this time, she would never let go.
References
1. Daniel 10:5-6
2. Matthew 23:37
3. Isaiah 53:4
4. Matthew 7:13
5. Song of Solomon 8:4
6. Daniel 10:6
