The sun was shining brightly but then. Does that sound like the beginning of a beautiful story? Or the end of a beautiful day? It depends if you see the sky partly sunny or partly cloudy.
A soft breeze is perfect. It tousles your hair and softly cools you. But when the wind picks up and starts to whip, it may not hurt in the traditional sense, but it can make things unpleasant. Your hair flies in your face, your book pages turn without you and your picnic becomes a battle. Suddenly you’re cold and you need shelter.
“Every silver lining has a cloud.”
MARY KAY ASH
A blue sky is a dream. You wake up and you see a clear blue sky. It is blue for days and you are in no hurry. So, you linger. And when you look again, your blue sky is turning a bit grey. Then you look again, and your grey sky is now black as night. Now you bury your head.
“Every silver lining’s got a touch of grey.”
TOUCH OF GREY LYRICS BY JEROME J. GARCIA / ROBERT C. CHRISTIE HUNTER © UNIVERSAL MUSIC PUBLISHING GROUP, WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC, INC
A bird singing is a wonderful sound. It sounds like an orchestra warming up. You can’t wait to hear the aria. When it pauses, you wait for the next song. Is that a cardinal? But that sounds like squabbling, not a song. That bird looks like it has an ax to grind. It’s opening its beak wide and squawking at another bird. They sound like a couple bickering in a furniture store over who has the better taste in coffee tables.
“Every cloud has a silver lining.”
THE ORIGIN OF THE IDIOM “EVERY CLOUD HAS A SILVER LINING” IS MOST LIKELY TRACEABLE TO THE YEAR 1634, WHEN JOHN MILTON PENNED HIS MASQUE COMUS. IN IT, THE QUOTE APPEARS AS “WAS I DECEIVED OR DID A SABLE CLOUD TURN FORTH HER SILVER LINING ON THE NIGHT?”
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A warm sun is light and gentle. It massages your skin. But a too-hot sun bores holes in your skin. You cover your eyes and wait for the asteroid strike.
But then … .
Nothing is for certain. A cloud floats by. It could shade you from the sun or rain on your parade. It depends how your eyes see the world. It is partly sunny or partly cloudy?
This post was written in response to the prompt at this month’s short story link party at Grammy’s Grid. Be sure to visit and check out the other entries and take part with your own.
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This post was previously published on catherinelanser.com.
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