The article paints a vivid scene of graying women dancing under a stone arch, invoking deep feelings of nostalgia and memory. One woman, resembling the author's mother in a past photograph, serves as a poignant reminder of past joys and imagined futures. The narrative explores themes of belonging and the fluidity of time, showcasing how memories intertwine with aspirations for peace and joy. Through rich imagery, the author emphasizes the beauty of moments shared and the optimistic vision of life unfolding like a garden beneath the sun.
Beneath the stone arch, graying women dance in unison-they sway their hips, step right, flutter arms outward like butterfly wings, hands cupped skyward as if to receive a benediction.
In the photo, her world is cracked open like an oyster shell-this woman might one day live by the sea, slurp an oyster's sweet brine, watch the sun rise over ocean waves like a golden pearl.
In a perfect future, I imagine her present, continuous, picking ripe loquats in a garden, dancing beneath a stone arch.
For a moment, I am winded. Back turned, she looks-they look-like an idea I once had of my mother.
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