A flourish of hate

Today’s creative writing prompt was simple: Craft a story or a poem based on the metaphor “A flourish of hate”. Only it wasn’t actually simple at all. In fact, it was pretty harrowing.

I began by thinking about what I hated; about what made my blood boil so much that I seethed. And when I knew what it was I hated, I found myself re-living the anger.

I found myself thinking of the bitterness and the hurt and the pain.

It was upsetting, as hatred generally is. But I allowed myself to feel it. And then I allowed myself to acknowledge that my hatred isn’t hate.

No, my hatred is not hate; my hatred is hurt. My hatred is a feeling of betrayal and abandonment. My hatred is a feeling of disappointment. My hatred is a feeling of loss and sadness.

You see, there is no real hatred in my heart.

No, my hatred is pain. My hatred is a longing desire for understanding and peace.

There is no hatred in my heart.

There is only love in my heart.

Love obscured by pain. Love obscured by sadness and loss. Love obscured by disappointment. Love obscured by betrayal and abandonment. Love obscured by fear and sorrow. Love obscured by confusion and uncertainty. Love obscured by misguided emotions.

There is no hatred in my heart.

There is only a flourish of love.

And where there is love there is hope; there is faith. 

Where there is love, there is potential for even greater love to follow.

Join the conversation!