July 2020 Winner
Saniya and Time
by Valerie Miller
Once upon a time, there was no time.
Time was never wasted
Moments were never controlled.
Life was allowed to stroll through without a care in the world.
It would meander through the day, stopping and sighing.
There was no reason to rush.
No plans that had to be made.
Clocks, watches, lists, deadlines were only for adults. Never for children.
Saniya and Time were best friends.
They had no expectations for each other. They loved each other unconditionally.
Time would be there for Saniya.
Saniya would return the friendship
She would take it and cherish it. A precious gift of gratitude.
Pure, innocent, untouched.
Together they would see. They would hear. Taste. Touch. Feel.
To explore a new adventure.
Enjoy a moment as a lone opportunity.
When Saniya started school.
Time would wait patiently, wait for her to finish.
After school she would frolic and play.
With no expectations. No rules.
To play with joy. To allow herself to be free.
Time watched on.
Tenderness in his heart. Yet filled with a heaviness.
He knew that Time was finite.
He could feel the change in her future. Their future.
As Saniya began to grow, she realised that Time was becoming demanding.
Time began to feel neglected.
He began to feel controlled. Pulled. Manipulated. Pushed.
Saniya wanted more from him. She needed more from him.
The more Saniya filled her life with roles the more she expected.
Woman. Work. Wife. Mother.
Some days she would cry.
Some days she would scream.
Some days she would beg for more.
Wish for more.
Time watched and tried to be what she wanted.
He was a significant part of her life.
When he could give more, Saniya would smile.
A sweet calmness would descend between them.
When he could not, he watched on with anguish.
Time saw his friend carry lines of worry, shoulders of fatigue and moments of despair.
But Time would never leave her.
He was wise and knew that this was life.
Saniya’s life.
Her hectic life.
Her modern life.
A life that wanted more from her.
Expectations, goals, achievement, success.
Sometimes failure.
Saniya’s life meandered and journeyed.
Opening her up to experiences of joy, sadness, loss, confusion.
She grew wise as she aged.
Her roles began to wither away.
Work, wife, mother.
Through loss, she found herself again.
She reached out and found Time.
Ready.
Real, solid and patient.
Saniya and Time reconnected.
In the remaining years of Saniya’s life they spent long, languid moments together.
He was kind and slow.
She was grateful.
Together they sat, walked, looked.
Their connection grew.
Saniya’s respect for Time deepened.
She was ready to be with Time.
Eternally.
Time was quiet.
Saniya gave him her hand.
Time accepted and closed the door behind her.