by ronde
Thank you for the uplifting tearjerker. I don't agree with the idea of saving oneself for marriage--I think there is a happy medium between that and being naively taken advantage of--but the story helped me, I think, with understanding tragedy (i.e. the car crash). Even a non-religious person can draw from the story the message that love can triumph over death. As they sang in Disney's Robin Hood,
"Love...seems like only yesterday
You were just a child at play
Now you're all grown up inside of me
Oh, how fast the moments flee
Once we watched the lazy world go by
Now the days seem to fly
Life is brief, but when it's gone,
Love goes on and on."
(I adore how those are the only lyrics to the song--brevity is key to its power.) I was surprised to find myself thinking, near the end of your story, "She's so lucky!" Much like the man at the end of the classic movie "It's a Wonderful Life," Victoria was absolutely surrounded with love, friendship, respect, and affection.
What a great story! I began reading Ronde's stories because of the advice he had given other writers. I had gotten bored with reading stories that had horrible story lines so I looked for someone who could offer insight to other writers, knowing that this person could then write good stories. This one was amazing! Thank you!
That was absolutely beautiful, so tender and sweet. It was sad but happy at the same time. Great great story!!
Everyone can feel the humanity and the sacredness of the lives and loves in your stories.
You've written a very fine story. Encapsulated a lovely woman's entire life in just a few pages.
You have amazing skill.
Well done.
Such an inspiring tearjerker. Loved how it covered a woman's many milestones throughout her fulfilling life, and that she was able to pass on with a sense of peace at being reunited with her departed loved ones. Outstanding!
Very well written. I could imagine every word written. Thank you. R
Very nicely done! It flows well, characters are unique and clearly defined. Motives and hopes and dreams drive the story, and the yearnings of the heart give it rich color and drama. Most fascinating, to me, is the idea held by many that man and wife can be together in a future life. It is a gift of the Father of our spirits to harbor such hopes, and I share that with you. An outstanding story! Thank you!
Your tale's one that I recognise having experienced like things myself. I wept silently as I was drawn into your story being touched to the very centre of my being as I felt the emotions portayed therein. I salute you in recognition of your mastery in your craft. Keep these incredible works coming!
If i make any spelling errors, forgibve me, i still have tears in my eyes. Ronde caught me by surprise with the last hospital scene. Wonderful writing, very sentimental, and how every great love story should end. During life, both of them were good people, so in the afterlife, they were rewarderd with each other. Absolutely lovely. Thank you.
I am a 55 year old guy.....typing this thru tears that your wonderful story brought about....I was/am so moved by the weaving of your craft, it is sheer pleasure.
you have me tears, was not expecting this when i started reading it, thank you keep writing:)
to bad they don't have a rating of 10 or 11 that has been the best story i have read on lit thanks for sharing it with the rest of us
I cannot stop sobbing...this is the most beautiful story I've read in such a very long time...thank you.
I!ve read a few of your stories and i must say they have brought such emotions to my mind and tears to my eyes , there is nothing to be said from me to extend how well these stories are written , the only way i could think of would be to have you write them ,thanks again for your talent and putting it to words , nathan georgia
This is the second story I have read by you. I had to stop a couple times after the accident because it was so heart tugging, so emotional. You have a true gift and I very much enjoy your stories.
You're slipping Ronde. This storey only made me cry three times. Just kidding. It is, of course, absolutely wonderful. I wish you would start writing again.Your silence deprives all of us of great pleasure.
read again this story by Ronde,and once again it made me cry.This man knows people ,and their problems and worries,and he involves your feelings at every step.If it was possible I would make it compulsory for everyone to read his stories.We would perhapse learn to respect other peoples points of view,and maybe give us a better world to live in.
thank you again for your wonderful romantic stories. i'm a 50 yr old divorced man. your stories speak of life and love and separation. but also hope. and gentleness. and kindness. and acceptance. thank you.
ronde, words fail me to express the emotion I get each time I read this story. It and "Laura's Vineyard" are classics and objectives other authors should strive toward. I've re-read both of them countless times. It is our loss you no longer contribute your wonderful stories to this venue.
Your stories are extremely well written, but too many of them make me feel like I'm being strangled while my heart is being ripped out as I sit here. I've been going through your list of stories one by one I hope there are some "feel good" stories I've yet to read.
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I used to teach at a Community College teaching people how to use various Microsoft products effectively. Unfortunately many of my students planned to be skilled labor, Auto-Mechanic for example. It was required, but they disputed the value of that knowledge for their planned career. You can guess how much fulfillment I got from the experience.
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While your writing is great, I think you are better at "misery" than "happy" I found the last 2-3 stories <B>very</B> painful to read. It doesn't let go of me from one story to the next. The "happy" stories aren't nearly as happy as the ones of "misery" are "miserable"
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<I>-- srgeek --</I>
I don't know why I had not read this one before tonight, and I'm sorry I overlooked it! I know Greenville well, having lived there for a number of years, and it felt like I was reading about home. Well done. Jerry
I'm 63, male and rarely emotional. I cried through the last several screens of this story and between five and ten minutes past that. The person who mentioned strangling and feeling like your throat is being ripped out nailed it.
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I'm glad that "Once Upon A Time" does happen at least in fiction because it gives us hope that we tend to substitute as a reason to go on. I think Barbara was right though, "Once Upon A Time" only happens in fiction.
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I don't know anyone that I feel sure is truly happy. I do know two couples that might be, but I really don't know them very well.
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I've read several of your other stories and having plan to read more of them, but that will have to be on another day, I could handle two like this in a day.
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<I>-- srgeek --</I>
I think that this is my literotica story of all time. It shows the kind of love that I want. Great Job!
it was soo sweet, she was so important to the town everyone was there waiting for her to recover, i was practically blubbering at the end it was sosweet
I loved this story. I was a blubbering idiot by the end and it was a great story of true love and times long forgotten. I have family from Johnson city and I remember how everyone new everyone in those little towns. Makes me miss those days. Thanks for the wonderful story
I'll just simply say, thank you for one of the most beautiful stories I have ever read.
My absolute favourite story in Literotica is 'Lauras Vineyard' ....
this is just about its equal !!!!
Thank you
Absolutely the very best I have read on here. Loved it. Gives you hope that things can work out in this world.
You are a quality writer. You capture emotion beautifully. You articulated her story with a dream like voice that spelled love. Well done.
It reminded me of "On golden pond" with the beautiful sense of real romantic reality
I have read all of your submissions - and all are wonderful. Why are you not writing any more?
WOW, you have touched my heart again. Thank You for such wonderful story of many types of Love. Sad but Beautiful.
Could you, Please let us (your faithful readers) know more about you as of today.
I'm sure there are many that would like to hear from you. Thank You so much. LeAry T. learyt42@embarqmail.com
Real romance is not about just sex, but love, caring, giving and sharing. Love is all about romance, as romance is about love. Very well done.
Thank you for this story.
You have a gift for strong endings - enjoyed the story (5*), although I didn't like that Victoria had just 3 days of married life, after her mother was cheated out as an 18 year old after a single evening by a jerk.
Sad things are not good though the story went on like a Mother Teresa tale.
To write a good love letter you must begin not knowing what you mean to say and finish not knowing what you've said. In other words it must come from the heart.
Your beautiful story certainly does just that
Highflight50
what a great story - the ending had me in tears it was so powerful.....loved it
One intense emotion after another is hard!
How about letting him stick around longer? How about more than such a short period together? How about at least one of the ladies in this family gets to have a happy, healthy, robust, emotional and physical relationship with her husband?
Stoic martyrs can only evoke so much empathy generation after generation.
Aunt Elizabeth survives on her own.
Mom has one night of sexual bliss.
Our protagonist, actually gets three days. (how generous of you).
and everything after is quickly glossed over as support to the long suffering schoolmarm.
Harsh, cruel, and definitely NOT happily ever after.
I do not think a story in this site has ever made me cry before. This one did. Thank you. It was magical.
I have to admit I didn't expect him to die, at least not so soon. It was a wonderful twist that solidified any doubt I had about being emotionally invested in the characters. I think I cried from that scene almost straight until the end.
Beautifully powerful story!!
This is now my favorite story on this site. The end of this story brought me to tears. Thank you for demonstrating that not everything had to be a stroke story.
Thank you for this beautiful story. Best story I've read in a long time.
The best story I've read on this site! Exampliary!
I do not know if it will be the best love story I have read, but it is certainly a story that I will remember a lot of time. I was surprised by the description of the characters, the sweetness of them and I appreciate the time that the author has dedicated to writing this story. I acknowledge that I have shed tears as I read.
I have to read more stories like this, I found it a charming story, and more if you think about the time in which the story unfolds, times when authority was not discussed, and kindness was almost nonexistent in schools.
5* for you.
I apologize for my English, is not my native language.
And I wish that you were still here writing more stories for us... I know that I didn't have a dry eye when I finished this one... Loved the story
I'm an 80 year old man and this story had me in tears at the end.
I am glad I am home alone today, I admit I used 2 hankerchiefs during the end of your tale.
A very emotional and exceptionally well written story. Much enjoyed but very thought-provoking on life. Many thanks for it.
for this story. I have read it, I don't really know how many times, and it leaves me feeling a deep peace. I couldn't be so brash as to comment on it, because it's just perfect.
You made my favorite author list the second week I joined Lit, back in 2010, and I never fail to enjoy your stories, no matter how often I re-read them. Again, many thanks for hours of enjoyment.
Hans
This, for me, may very well be the best story on this site. What a delight!
This is really a good beautiful and romantic and lovely story. Even though the ending is very sad. Five star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 actually I want to give you more than five star.
I don’t understand the other reviews of this story. Perfect? How is this perfect? Victoria grew up as an only child of a single parent. Days after her wedding her husband is killed, leaving her as a single parent. She never found love again. She’s spends her whole life alone.
The love of my life died of cancer two years ago, leaving me with three sons. We were fortunate to have over 25 years together. I miss my husband like crazy. This story tried to put a romanticized spin on the death of a spouse. It didn’t work.
Sometimes it seems as though life passes by as fast as this story did. It’s a very nicely written story, but I kinda go along with the last comment. I just personally don’t care to see tragedy used as entertainment. I’ve seen enough of it for three lifetimes, and none of it was enjoyable. Thanks for the story, though, ronde, it was interesting, and as I said, nicely written.
I sincerely hope what comes next is like you portray; but of course, no one really knows.
Thank you for a good read.
Simply beautifully written and romantic and beautiful story. Definitely a five star rating or more it deserves. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
An earlier review from someone who lost a spouse said that the story romanticized the loss and just didn't work. I can see his/her point of view. Very shortly it will be 3 years since I lost mine. The death of a spouse changes you. Alters your perception. We live the story through the lens of our own experience. I can not fault that reader for the feeling it ignores the pain. But neither can I fault other readers for only seeing the beauty of the story as they see it through their lives.
A part of me does wish the ending is how it will really be...
Poignant and moving, was looking for something a little different and this delivered it in spades. 5⛤
Lovely story! And twenty years later, you're still writing wonderful stories.
5
My third or fourth reading, not sure why I didn't comment earlier. It's a marvelous story (as most of yours are) and yes, I got teary every time I reached the end. I grew up in a small farm town in Colorado, and we had an elementary teacher like Mrs. Morton who really did teach three generations of townfolk, and when she retired the school was named after her. She wasn't quite as kind or soft-spoken as Victoria, but was respected and remembered as a very good teacher. So glad you're back.
Once upon a time I was privileged to read a story that made “once upon a time” a time well spent.
Thank you.
What a wonderful story. You got this 78 year old guy crying at the end. Victoria had asked her mother what it felt to be in love. She discovered that herself, but there is a good answer I like from Dr. Seuss: "You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams" .
Maudlin, silly, vaguely supernatural. Those are the words that come to mind when I finished this. I'm enormously pissed off at the older Jack who took his eyes off the road and essentially committed suicide and almost killed his new bride. She was a saint and spent almost her whole adult life alone because of his utter stupidity and negligence. Never a thought about her having a companion. Just plain stupid story. 2*
One of your best stories. Up until now my favorite by a large margin was "18 wheels and a Denim Skirt" but I really think this surpasses that!
Lovely story. Very heart touching, which seems to be the gift your stories leave with your readers. Thank you.
I started out thinking a lot like "Mr. Overcritical". A bit too 'nice' and maybe "maudlin, silly and vaguely supernatural" but also romantic and sweet. Sometimes a nice story and a happy ending is refreshing in this cynical world.
Well done! *****
I wish so fervently that what you wrote is how it really is. Guess we'll all find out one day or another.
THANK YOU!!
Be Well and Happy,
Paul
Swinging back around to catch some of your earlier writing. Great stuff - tears streaming down my cheeks... 5.0*
Great story. Too many names to keep straight. I quit trying and just enjoyed the story. 5*
We are soooo misty and crying rivers!!
What a forever love story for the ages that warms our hearts and souls.
Sadly we are jealous to experience that same lifelong love that may never be for some.
Thank you for sharing words from your heart that have touched us so deeply.
Please, more!
A touching story about how a caring, compassionate, and committed school teacher can touch the lives of others in a very good way.
Thanks, ronde, for another excellent story.
Wonderful wonderful story, had me wheeping like a baby, if I could give it 10 stars I would.
Damn you, PhredDagg, keep your bloody dust under control. Thank you Ronde, another brilliant story.