Every Friday writers from around the world contribute 100 word stories prompted by a photograph supplied by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields to Friday Fictioneers. Everyone is welcome to contribute and we love comments on our stories.
copyright – Kent Bonham
The Passage
Her tiny hand flexes and brushes against my finger, and she grasps it instinctively for the first time. Her palm is still damp with vernix.
Just moments before she had been dragged by forceps from the warm intimacy of my womb into a raw startling world, and I passed through the passage from girl to motherhood.
I look down at her swollen closed eyes, the red marks on either side of her skull and her fingers curled desperately around mine. And my throat swells with such fierce love, and a responsibility so heavy, I can hardly breathe.
The Writers' Life 
Another beautifully sensitive piece, with such a clever treatment of the concept of a passage.
Thanks, Diana. I wanted to run with the concept and see what came out of it.
Dear Karen,
This is incredibly beautiful and the embodiment of writing what you see rather than what you’re looking at. “…passage from girl to motherhood.” You told a whole story in that one phrase.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Dear Rochelle,
That is a lovely comment to make about my story. Thank you so much.
Karen
I am awed by your concept, and how beautifully you have expressed it in so few words. And you do that week after week. This has touched my heart and drawn me into precious memories.
Thank you, Margaret. You have touched my heart with your lovely comment. Our babies are incredibly precious, aren’t they?
Very tender and vividly told story of real motherhood. And a very interesting metaphor for the passage we see in the photo. Very very well done.
Thanks for your kind comments, Linda.
Beautifully done 🙂
Thanks for coming by, Helen.
Beautiful sentiment that any mother will recognize.
Thanks, Dawn. I’m glad it resonated with you.
I got a lump in my throat on the last line. A beautifully written piece that resonates with all mothers.
Thanks for your lovely comment, Russell.
I always love when people take the photo and write something based on the spirit of it; that is, they are inspired rather than try to literally interpret “what’s going on in this photo”. These are the tales that usually stand out for me, and yours is no exception — this was lovely, darling.
Your comment makes me very happy, Helena. It’s great when something in a photo speaks to you on a deeper level.
Wow, such a beautiful story! I love the line “from girl to motherhood” and the passion in your words in the last paragraph. Very powerful and lovely.
Your comments have made my day, Mahjira. Thank you so much.
Thank you for the comment you left, but I was confused as to how you found my old defunct blog and a post I did two years ago. 😛 Somehow, my profile is signed in to an old account! The funny thing is, you are the second one that left me a comment on my old blog. This is my correct blog… http://mahjira.blogspot.com/
Thank you for the nice comment though! 🙂
this is so beautiful.makes me want to experience the whole thing.i like the direction you took with the photo 🙂
Thanks, kz. Childbirth is an incredibly emotional experience and it was impossible for me to get all the complexity of it into words. But that’s the challenge of writing…
Karen, coming late to the comment party, I can but echo the praises above me and add that your title works perfectly, too. The mom in me salutes you.
janet
From one mum to another, thank you, Janet.
This is just beautifully written.. love you took a passage less obvious.
Thanks for your kind comment, Bjorn.
A beautiful take on the prompt and a [passage all mothers look back on with pride and happiness:-)
Thanks you for your lovely comment.
🙂
An amazing story that brought on passages much different from the photo. Such powerful writing to describe emotions of a first-time mother, that love and responsibility. Beautifully done.
Thank you for visiting. I’m grateful for you comment.
AnElephant finds this touchingly wonderful.
Thanks for reading and for your heartwarming comment.
Fierce love and heavy responsibility… perfect! I read this with my baby in my arms and tears ran down my cheeks. You’ve done a spectacular job in capturing the moment in just 100 words.
Jessie, that is such a beautiful thing to share with me. I’m very touched by your comment. Thank you.