Pure Beauty

Prologue

Some people might think of their life as dull or as a pass by towards a bigger picture. Some might even say it's a form of hell or punishment for their past life. But there was one person who told me that every single essence of life was pure beauty.

How can life be beautiful when all you see is death and crime? Hunger, murders, suicide, kidnaps, robbery, drugs, prostitution rape and even the occasional accidents that bring death upon a family.

I used to think that this was a way of God amusing himself, that is, if He really does exist. Then again, I used to think a lot of things until I met him.

Until I met the one person who would move every single piece of humanity in me, the one person who showed me my own beauty.

One.

Tears matted the old woman's face. The salty, liquid consistence creased into her multiple wrinkles as if rain drops when falling into an old, cracked street. She was crying.

My mother had explained to me on the way to the farm that Mrs. Little was like a mother to her; that she had raised her when grandma passed away like her own daughter and that now, Mrs. Little needed my mother's comfort.

So I stood there, under the umbrella, holding my mother's hand. I casually fiddled with my little black dress and ponytails as I watched how, one by one, all the people gathered around a big black box and placed flowers over it.

I looked around, noticing everyone was wearing black and looked sad. Mother also cried occasionally and she held the old woman, Mrs. Little with her free hand.

After the plump man was finished reading from a book, Mrs. Little carefully and slowly walked to the front of the big box. She took a deep breath and spoke.

[i]"David was a man nobody can replace, at least not in my heart. We'd been married for 50 years. Most people say David and I were perfect for each other and we were! Even if we never did have children of our own, we raised a marvelous and unique woman."[/i]

Mrs. Little smiled at mother before continuing her speech.

[i]"David was a disciplinarian. He was strict but not stiff and he loved us so much.In return, we loved him tremendously because David never feared showing his emotions towards Anna, towards me or to just about anyone he loved. He was indeed affectionate and was not a man of few words at all! Anyone who ever had the chance to talk to him would say, he indeed had lots of things in his mind. And along with that, David dreamed big."[/i]

The old woman lowered her head, trying to keep her tears back. My mother offered a hand but she just shook her away and smiled, reassuring she was able to continue.

[i]"David lived his life the best way he could. He never had enemies nor did he step on anyone. He was well loved and I guess seeing everyone here right now, having this big a crowd on his funeral only proves that indeed, David was and is well loved. How could he not be? He was such a kind soul. The type of person you can't get enough of. Well, at least I think of him that way. I married him, didn't I?" [/i]

A low chuckle escaped her gray mouth.

[i]"Marrying him was the best decision I ever made in my life and I would not change that. That's how much I will keep on loving him. David is in heaven now. He's with his parents, brothers and other friends now. I'm sure he is happy there because in heaven, there is peace. David, I know we will see each other again. I will feel your warm embrace again and our souls will unite for an eternity together in heaven. In the meantime, please do guide us as we live our life here on earth. Do watch over Anna and her Kristen and do protect them from harm. David, you will always be remembered and you will always live in our hearts for as long as we live. I love you so much."[/i]

With that said, the old woman approached the big box and kissed it smoothly as it lowered into a hole in the wet earth.

Twelve years have passed since then and I still remember Mr. Little's funeral as if it was just yesterday.

I really don't know why memory of that funeral came to me on this precise day, maybe because the heavy rain outside had been the same, triggering that familiar sweet, wet smell.

But whatever the reason for this remembrance was, it provided a calm and reassuring emotion in my body.

I smiled as I put down my pen and diary and looked over at the window again. The raindrops were still as big as marbles after half a day of raining and they made a peculiar thud on the window.

I rolled over on my bed so I was facing the ceiling. The memory of that particular funeral, my first funeral, still lingered in my head.

A lot of things have happened since then. Mrs. Little joined her husband two years after him, my father was sent to Iraq last year, mother finally opened her hair salon last month and I just turned eighteen a week ago. Boy did time really fly by.

I smiled a little at the thought and slowly got off my bed, thinking it was a good moment to go out and find something to do. I grabbed my gray hoodie and little brown bag and walked out of my room.