Through All Eternity
For the Romantic Quote Challenge

Whenever Beauty looks,
Love is also there;
Whenever beauty shows a rosy cheek
Love lights Her fire from that flame.
When beauty dwells in the dark folds of night
Love comes and finds a heart
entangled in tresses.
Beauty and Love are as body and soul.
Beauty is the mine,
Love is the diamond.



Look at her. Isn’t she beautiful?

Her dark eyes squint in concentration. Her thin old fingers with knobbly knuckles are still nimble after all these years. They expertly clean the carbon marks from a condenser tube I had scavenged just this morning.

Look at the deep creases in her sun leathered skin. Earned by scratching a long hard life from this scorched land.

Look at her simple brown gauze robes. The scarf tightly wrapped around her grey hair. Light, but covering. Protecting from the sun, but allowing air flow to keep cool. She wears it with dignity and grace and in the right moment when the desert winds blow, with a great drama that can take my breath away.

I have kissed those creased cheeks an uncounted number of times.
I have kissed those lips in simple greeting, with happy affection, in high passion.
I have hugged that frail little body, and more.

She sits there scrubbing away in the shade of the tent as farmers and scavengers go about their business behind her in Niima Outpost. She belongs here. She makes our world more beautiful.

She is my companion, my heart and soul for so long that I cannot count the years.

She hands me the compressor tube.
“That’s worth a whole portion. Don’t let him rob you.” she says sharply.
“Yes dear.”
“Don’t you give in again. Insist on a whole portion. You always let him get his way!”
Her eyes glare at me.
I give her a sheepish smile.
“I will try.”
And I get up to go.

“Hey! You forgot!” she calls out.
Of course I did. I am so forgetful sometimes. I come back and bend down, and two old lovers briefly kiss.
“Sorry.” I say. “I love you”
Her serious attitude breaks for a moment and she gives that little smile that melts my heart.
“I love you too.”
She gives me a second peck on my chin.
“Now go! Go! Don’t let him rob you!”

And so off I go.

 

That was an exquisite use of the quote!!! Tender and loving.

 

This is beautiful, and such a unique use of your quote!

I just love this.

Fantastic job on this!

 

Thanks for giving the elderly lady from The Force Awakens such a sweet back story. Yes, beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder. Well, done!

 

Gorgeous work—a beautiful vignette, and a beautiful portrait of love that has only beautified with wear and tear and age, because it comes from the depths of the soul. What could be a bigger blessing on this, bleak, barren world where one has to eke out a living from day to day on scavengers’ portions? And of course I always love seeing the background characters expanded on and given life; I too love that you included her picture. Amazing job once again, Greg. You got it out of the park every single time with these incredible oneshots of yours!