SPECTACULAR

Ages of beauty...

     “Spectacular!” said nine-year old Devon, as he watched the sun set behind Whippoorwill Mountain. Lavender sheets covered the sky, with flashes of neon pink.

 

     “Spectacular!” fourteen year old Devon said, looking out at a thunderstorm. Silver knives slashed  the sky, as diamonds scattered everywhere.

 

     Devon was almost thirty when he saw the Grand Canyon. “Spectacular!” he said of its majestic stone walls that seemed carved by a mighty sculptors hand…the river of turquoise and silver tumbling below…

 

     Devon saw Niagara Falls at night when he was forty-five. “Spectacular!” he said, looking at the play of lights over the rushing water. Delicate rainbow mists filled the air with colour.

 

     “Spectacular!” Devon said at fifty-seven when he saw the Painted Desert. This was not bare sand, but sage, dusty rose, topaz…red rocks were striped with bronze and gold…

 

     Devon was past seventy when he saw the giant sequoia and said “Spectacular!” It gave him a sense of unshakeable foundation, as if it had roots buried in the center of the earth. Like a soldier it stood here through the buffetings of the world; would be standing when the world shook itself to pieces.

 

     At ninety-two Devon felt the end coming. He opened the weary eyes that would soon close forever and looked at a panorama containing sunsets, thunderstorms, the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, the desert and a giant sequoia. Then he saw past all these to something more beautiful than anything he had ever experienced. “Spectacular!” Devon said, for the last time in his life.

 

     Or the first.

Reviews

[Cherrie Palmer]

What a beautiful story in word, image and message. I too will miss her warmth and wisdom.

[Writergirl]

I loved this, it was SPECTACULAR :) I love the way it progressed from him being a child until his deathbed and the last line gave me chills :)

[wordman]

or the first,who knows the view was beautiful

[Marie]

I'm sure whatever he saw was beautiful.

[wordman]

yes i`m sure it was maybe he saw angels

[David O Whalen (O Haolin in Celtic)]

This is an accomplished writer showing us how it's done! Thank you Marie.

[wordman]

i`m sure she would thank you if she could !

[Sandy Miller]

I really enjoyed this and the ending was perfect. Very inspiring write and left me with a warm cozy feeling.

[Gaston Villanueva]

Well done, Marie
I enjoyed this one a lot

[Craig2591]

Very cool! Devon was a man who obviously enjoyed life and even beyond. He had a rare gift.

[Marie]

Yes he did.

[Jennie Baron]

Beautiful, memorable story, Marie. Outstanding writing!

[Marie]

THank you.

[Workvio]

It is said that your very life, full and in technicolor, flashes before your eyes just before you die ... What is on the other side, if there is an other side, No one living really has a clue, though every religion will attempt to fill one's clueless-ness, each with teachings of its own ... For example: Of the 8 or 9 people listed within the Bible that allegedly returned from the dead, not a single one remains to tell us what is on that other side or if that side even exists ... Even stranger still is that not a one of them had a word of encouragement to offer within the text of the very Bible that reports their return ... Even Jesus has been conveniently swept away to prepare mansions that, if he and his alleged father truly had foreknowledge of his mission to earth, should have already been prepared long before his alleged voluntary & willful suicide upon the cross ... After all, if God made the heavens and the earth and all that is in them in seven days, surely He can build a few mansions in a bit less than two thousand years ... And still the world waits for a return that shall never take place ... Despite these things in religion ever so confusing and contradictory, you have penned a delightful little story that causes your reader to rethink the wonders of the world and all creation, and to contemplate the brevity of our lives and how much we take for granted and should savor as being spectacular, each and every moment we live right up until that last breath ... Bravo and superbly done ...

[Marie]

Thank you. That's a most interesting review. A philosopher (I think it was Socrates) once said "If death is merely sleep, why how sweet sleep is. And if there is something more, that too is good." I never heard the concept of death put better.

[Rana]

Quite a clever piece, describing beautifully each scene and fading away with a great climax.
"Silver knives slashed the sky, as diamonds scattered everywhere."-- the metaphors here are amazing. He couldn't have guessed death would be the most spectacular view in his panorama sequence, a lovely surprise.

[Marie]

THank you for your lovely review.

[Vernika]

'Spectacular!' is all I can say to describe this story! :) Great work!

[Marie]

Thank you.