Francesco rose from the mud of the battlefield. It did not look good for the fighters of Assisi. The Perugians were in possession of superior weaponry. Francesco’s ambitions of fame for his chivalrous deeds were critically endangered and his father would send him on yet another business trip to sell the family textiles. Francesco cursed as he attempted to move away and slipped on a pool of his own blood. It was not a serious wound but his shoulder bled profusely.
‘On your feet! We’ve got ground to cover,’ came the gruff voice of his captor as he kicked Francesco in the ribs.
A three-day painful walk brought Francesco and his fellow captives to the entrance of the enemy’s cavernous jail. He entered the yawning darkness of oblivion, and with it, the fiery delirium of malaria; a hell that the spoiled merchant’s son could never have imagined. He emerged from his cathartic abode as a man determined to travel, a mendicant on the path to divine grace. He surfaced clutching the hand of Christ that would one day mark him with the stigmata of the passionate outcast, the renegade mystic. The words of his captor echoed frequently in his soul. ‘On your feet! We’ve got ground to cover,’ became the sweet refrain of Francesco’s beloved Lord as he staggered agonizingly to sainthood.
Please send your stories (250 words max.) for selection to paulocoelho.writer@gmail.com.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Salam Yafiah,
I am so happy to find you writing beautifully here.
Loving you even more,
Liza :)
Yes, aditya, that is true, love is me, love is you, and may it burn bright until we all realize there is no separation, just unity
I love it. <3
beeeautiiiiiiifullll yafah ! superbly said ! the story .
“Love is the aim, love is the path, and love is the fuel” and love is you ! love is me.
love
aditya
Is really beautyful,pure and inocent!Thank you Thelma!
But to be honest,I can not identyfie in the moment…and maybe never with only the contemplative ART OF LOVE,…I love too much THE ADVENTURE and PASSION!…I can get noooo…SATISFACTION….and I try ….and i try….if you understand what I mean?!
LOVE…YOU ALL
Mirela(the woman in love)
Thank you Sparkle, Heart, and Thelma. Love is the aim, love is the path, and love is the fuel.
Peace and roses, Yafiah
A pleasant short story to read in a blog. Nice setup and meaningful words as they string together.
Thanks for the video Thelma, I have not seen that movie… And a great way to learn Portugese!!
love
C.
Great story Yafiah.
love
C.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B43AIvPiNaQ&feat…
Zeffirelli's masterpiece about St. Francis.
Thank you Yafiah Randall for your own version..
LOVE,
Thelma.
Excellent written Yafiah Randall! I love saint Francis too, as he teaches the animals will get to heaven too.
Well done, Yafiah. I loved so much your piece, and I think is not only because I admire a lot Saint Francis. Was a big surprise and pleasure to read your lines. Hope you will write more soon. I saw about Saint Francis of Assissi a programe in Italian tv, and I was amazed byt the change in that young rich mans behavior. I love too much the story where a wolf is tamed by that good Saint Francis . Because shows and remember to all of us that only love is the way, and that God loves all of us, human and beast. Thank you
Love
Alexandra
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