Cold Truth
Those tasks she once squeezed in between the events of a real life consisting of job, social events, wifely duties and mom stuff, now filled out her day. The bare essentials of staying fed, clean and alive exhausted her. How had she ever fit all the rest in?
When she was just starting out on her career and teaching Native American Literature, she had balked at the cruelty of the tribes that set their elderly out to freeze in the cold winter air. It was the selfishness then that affected her— their unwillingness to feed, shelter and tend to their elderly.
She had never thought of it from the point of view of the ones being given these relatively kind deaths. What would she do when she was incapable of even the easiest tasks? Now she understood. Snow would be the easy way out.
For The dVerse Poets Pub “Snow would be the easy way out”
To see other responses to the prompt go HERE.
lifelessons - a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown 
This is such a moving post Judy
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So true of the Native American philosophies! My first reaction, though was when I opened the message and saw the snow scene — “No, not yet in Mexico!”
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Never fear. That’s in my friend’s yard in Wyoming.
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It’s a lovely tree — would make a good Christmas card!
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True.. If I still sent Xmas cards!!!
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I agree with the choice to decide when it’s our time.
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Very well written, Judy, but somewhat morbid.
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Sorry.. but sorta true in my case. I often feel overwhelmed..but not merely by the mundane details. I can’t stand to stop producing..
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I don’t see you stopping any time soon. You are extremely productive, never fear.
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That’s true. Fall asleep in the cold and dream into oblivion. I really want to be able to decide for myself. 🩷
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Me, too.
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Hi Judy! My husband’s family: grandmother who lived to 103 Olive Tegtmeier’s family took
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Perry, I’m curous about the part of your comment that was obviously cut off.
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this is an informative piece
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I know that my father used to say the same, but he died a quick death following a heart attack
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Your cold truth resonated with me, Judy. When we find daily life getting harder, to the point where the ‘bare essentials of staying fed, clean and alive’ exhaust us, it’s tempting to find an easy way out. I didn’t know that Native American tribes ‘set their elderly out to freeze in the cold winter air’. I suppose it is a relatively kind death; I’ve heard that you just fall asleep to escape the cold.
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I’ve heard the same. I would opt for pills first, however, given the opportunity.
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So poignant!
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Excellent use of the prompt. Impressive story.
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Judy, I read your story earlier this week and have thought about it on and off through the week. There is a beautiful acceptance of the inevitable here that is hard to shake. A day’s dying in the snow vs. slow starvation, the answer seems clear.
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So poignant–and something to think about for sure.
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You raise a delicate question Judy, provocative and thoughtful too.
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