«Through the slightly smudged car windows, the sifting
peculiarities of the landscape, flashed before her attentive eyes, like the picture
frames of an old motion picture. As the car rapidly progressed on the road,
those changes became gradually more visible and easily recognizable.»
By Raquel R.
in Short Story number 12
«Nature is painting for us, day after day, pictures of
infinite beauty if only we have the eyes to see them.»
«As always, in those occasions, he followed the
standard procedure that had proved to be the most effective in appeasing those
sudden peaks of lucidity, and after carefully selecting a secluded area, he
engaged in the apparent prosaic action of
looking up to the night sky.»
By Raquel R. in Short Story
number 11
«I have long thought that
anyone who does not regularly - or ever - gaze up and see the wonder and glory
of a dark night sky filled with countless stars loses a sense of their
fundamental connectedness to the universe.»
«On those occasions, when the amount of unanswered
questions, dangerously defied his ability to make sense of the direction his
life was taking, every atom of his being compelled him to seek guidance beneath
the night sky, where he could benefit from the reassuring cover of the darkness
and consciously reduce the probability of being caught out of guard, bearing
his vulnerability.»
By Raquel R. in Short Story
number 11
«By my intimacy with nature
I find myself withdrawn from man. My interest in the sun and the moon, in the
morning and the evening, compels me to solitude.»
«Life, itself, in its
unstoppable pace, manages to efficiently disconnect every being of its
ancestral roots. But, when one listens carefully we might discover, that the
universe always finds its way to summon and question us.»
By Raquel R. in Short Story
number 11
«Our dreams prove that to imagine - to dream about
things that have not happened - is among mankind's deepest needs.»
«It was time to leave. She closed her eyes and let herself
be rocked by the sounds of the gentle lapping ocean waves. Her breathing and
heartbeat became one with that sound and magically everything seemed to make
sense again.»
By Raquel R.
in Short Story number 10
«It seems to me that the natural world is the greatest
source of excitement; the greatest source of visual beauty, the greatest source
of intellectual interest. It is the greatest source of so much in life that
makes life worth living.»
«6. Spend most of my time outdoors and experience the joys of a close
contact with nature.»
By Raquel R. in My Perfect Summer Day
«I almost wish we were butterflies and liv'd but three summer days -
three such days with you I could fill with more delight than fifty common years
could ever contain.»
«Having found them, she would explore the core of the
unexpected, loose herself within the realms of the improbable, and plunge into
the depths of the unknown, because she knew, that those seemingly ordinary
manifestations, hid many significant moments which are often the gateways to a
happier and meaningful existence.»
By Raquel R.
in Short Story number 7
«The moment one gives close attention to anything,
even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably
magnificent world in itself.»
«On those occasions, one’s attention tends to cling to
the most inconspicuous details, which due to that unplanned and sudden
approach, are likely to be analyzed through a total new perspective. That is
why, sometimes, in life, the most unsuspicious gestures might lead us to the great
revelations, which are often concealed behind the illusory simplicity of the
ordinary things.»
By Raquel R.
in Short Story number 6
«The two most
important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out
why.»
« This inspiring vision, made him realize, that small
details, like this one, often hold within amazing revelations that, if embraced
with humbleness, might teach us priceless lessons and point us the right
direction.»
By Raquel R.
in Short Story number 5
«Climb the mountains and get
their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into
trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their
energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn.»
«If one looked at nature», he thought, «with the eyes
of the soul, it will give us the answers we need to go on living. Unfortunately,
we are all too busy paying attention to insignificant details, to understand
that we are all part of a greater whole, and if we choose to embrace that fact,
we will be one step closer to find ourselves and fulfill our own destiny.»
By Raquel R. in Short Story number 2
«I find hope in the
darkest of days, and focus in the brightest. I do not judge the universe. »
«The hesitant sunbeams stroke his face. The warmth he
instantly felt on his body soothed his wounded spirit and lit inside him the
spark of hope that he badly needed.»
«Through twists and turns each drop found its way.
Sometimes these watery paths ended up connected, but other times, the paths
diverted, following different directions. But one thing was sure. Each raindrop
fulfilled the same destination, which, was converging together, to be part of
greater whole. “It’s funny how nature replicates life. “, he thought.»
By Raquel R.
in Short Story number 2
« Hope is both the earliest and the most indispensable
virtue inherent in the state of being alive. If life is to be sustained, hope
must remain, even where confidence is wounded, trust impaired. »
Short Story
number 2: Inspired by
the song «Song of good hope» by Glen Hansard from the solo albumRhythm and Repose.
The rain was falling heavily and strong gusts of wind murmured loudly on
the roof. As he stared at the window he could clearly see the falling raindrops
sliding down the window glass. He moved closer and positioned his head closer
to the glass. He was able to see that each drop followed its own erratic path through
the watery maze. Through twists and turns each drop found its way. Sometimes
these watery paths ended up connected, but other times, the paths diverted,
following different directions. But one thing was sure. Each raindrop fulfilled
the same destination, which, was converging together, to be part of greater
whole. «It’s funny how nature replicates life. », he thought.
He moved his eyes away from the
window glass and focused his attention on the empty street below. The desolated
street mirrored the state of his own live. He felt like he was now standing in
a desert crossroad with no signs to point him the right direction. He, that
never refused to courageously face the hardships of life, by hiding behind the
golden shield of myths, beliefs or superstitions, was now giving in, to this
only human need, of holding on to something that would infuse some hope in his
tormented soul. Silent tears streamed down on his face and pressure built up on
his chest like he was about to explode. He took a deep breath and quickly
pulled himself together. After all, he was always perceived as a pillar of
strength to those around him and the fear of letting them down, by showing them
his fragility, tore him apart.
A solitary car passing by on the
empty street captured his attention and dragged him back to the present moment.
Life was once again putting him to the test, but like many other men and women
out there, he must surrender to the evidences that the burden was too great for
him to bear. Maybe it was time that he swallowed his pride, reached for help
and learned to trust the ones that care about him. He must not be afraid to
unveil his fears and bare his soul before them, for he knows that he was not
alone in the coming struggle. That thought alone relieved him from the pressure
that had been building inside his chest and he recognized that physical
reaction, as a sign from the universe showing him, that the path he had chosen
was the right one.
Before he left the room, he looked through
the window, one more time, and realized that the rain had stopped and the sun
was beginning to shine again. The hesitant sunbeams stroke his face. The warmth
he instantly felt on his body soothed his wounded spirit and lit inside him the
spark of hope that he badly needed. «If one looked at nature», he thought, « with
the eyes of the soul, it will give us the answers we need to go on living.
Unfortunately, we are all too busy paying attention to insignificant details,
to understand that we are all part of a greater whole, and if we choose to
embrace that fact, we will be one step closer to find ourselves and fulfill our
own destiny. »
