All Comments on 'Elephant'

A sad but good story of loss, but also a story of life preserving after the loss. Gritty and hard, but with kindness and love as well, this story mirrors real life tragedy and how life goes on despite the tragedy. Five stars for this one.

A great, great story of profound tragedy salvaged by abiding love that transcended life and inspired art. Jenn supposedly loved irony, and the greatest irony of all is that while Jenn assumed that she had destroyed Andy's artistry, she, in fact, made it transcendent. One of the best stories I've read on this site. A must read.

It has taken me a lot of effort to read this story, I had a very blurred vision ...

There was a moment when I remembered the movie "Days of wine and roses".

A love story very painful, with an end that seemed to resurface the Phoenix, but sadly.

I know about alcohol, I stopped drinking completely 24 years ago, but my wife helped me, and she still does.

5 * for you.

I apologize for my English (yet), is not my native language.

Well done.

It just goes to prove, once again, that some of the best stories on this site are not laden with sex.

Thanks

CliqueGGE

Thank you for sharing this with us.

It was equal parts tragic and transcendent, and both sides were equally powerful and moving.

-Rei

If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough. Meister Eckhart von Hochheim (1260-1328)

Really, Really Good!!

I can relate in so many ways to this story; geographically, emotionally and philosophically. I had my own Jenn for a good piece of my life. Your tale of woe was told simply with honest emotion and genuine love and was every bit the equal of one of the greatest, Erich Segal's 'Love Story'. Jenn's authentic statement about being too distracted to get to heaven is a beautiful insight. Heaven isn't a destination, it's the journey. Or as Mother Theresa has said: Heaven is all the way to Heaven.

Well written and I could feel the emotion. Thanks, and keep writing.

Really, really well written. This is story that is hard to read at times because it is so truthful and real. Far too many of us have lived it, but those of us that are survivors are better for having lived such a tragic reality. Thank you for telling a story that I know far too well.

This story gives me ideas!

God, that hurt!

I only kept reading because I couldn't possibly stop....

Well-edited, besides the writing.

As a huge Isbell fan (and Uncle Tupelo fan, for that matter), I appreciate the job you did teasing your own story from the outline that Jason gave you. Thanks.

Good story, well written and definitely brought tears to my eyes. Five stars.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

That did hurt. Wonderful story. Thanks for sharing.

As someone who lost a special person to terminal cancer, I felt the pangs of grief as if they had occurred only yesterday. This is a sensitive, beautifully written story.

The skillset involved in crafting this story is amazing. The mental images I have of the two primary characters will stay with me. This is a top-shelf 5 star effort.

Tears still flowing, what a beautifully written story of love in its truest form. I loved it.

A very tough subject to handle but you did an excellent job!!! I would rank it up there with "A little bit of death" by Slirpuff and perhaps the best story addressing the subject matter (in my opinion) "Naked Beneath" by lovecraft68. Please keep writing these heartfelt stories -

Mac

Fantastic job on a tough issue!

Sadly, it hit damned close to home.

Thanks for the enjoyable story, even though it hurt.

Blast you for writing this story so well that you made a late 50 year old heterosexual male cry like a baby. Had to blow my nose and everything. Still feel like I'm strangling on the lump in my throat. I was really tragically beautiful.

My wife didn't die, but her love for me sure did and it still feels like I lost my soulmate even after 18 years of living without her love...

tinged with the scent of life lived to excess thus numbing the sympathy of those who conduct themselves with more discipline. You did good Stfloyd, dont know if this is based in fact or fiction, but well done.

Now I have to read the rest of your work to see if you're really this good.

Man, damn you! Damn you for making this grown ass adult bawl his eyes out!

But really amazing story... Really bonded with the two main characters. Though fantasy, yet made me pray that someone become successful in inventing a cure for cancer very very soon. Because I know, this fantasy is someone else's reality. 5*.

~MD

Very moving. And very sad, but unfortunately that's just the way real life is sometimes.

Very strong and adroitly done.

Having done the big cancer-dance some years ago,it's close to home and rings true.

Thanks!

A sad but truly beautiful story. I can’t imagine the pain of going through an experience like that. Much thanks to the author for this one.

This stuff may happen in real life BUT,I don't read these stories to be bummed out.

I knew where the story was headed halfway through, but I couldn’t stop reading it. There’s so much pain in the world. I read the stories on this site to get away from it. That being said this story was amongst the best I’ve read on the site. The character development, pacing, and storyline were excellent. I cared about Andy and Jen. I’m glad she didn’t have to die alone. Five stars.

WOW

Wow!

So many people have traveled this road. You find that special someone and it's perfect. Then one dies! You did it justice. Thank you!

how can such a sad story be so heart warming- sign of a great writer

thank you

Excellent story. Well done and thanks for sharing your work.

Very moving story. I have not experienced this directly, but through my daughter. Her husband had cancer, and he died three years after diagnosis. You capture the emotions very well. The first Christmas after his diagnosis we were all together and had a good Christmas despite the elephant in the room. My daughter was determined that he wouldn’t die alone, and he didn’t, she was with him at the end. Very sad, but in its own way beautiful. Despite the end, she is very glad she married him. This story captures the complex emotions of life and love, which can be very rewarding even though it is not all joy and happy endings.

I had to stop and hug my wife towards the end before finishing. A well done tale to simultaneously make my heart break and allow me to appreciate today more than I already do. If the greatest compliment a writer can be given is to feel what they felt then I am both truly sorry for the pain you had to endure to experience such an incredible love, as fleeting as it may have been. If it was allegorical then should be commended on your accomplishment and flogged for putting me through. Thank you

Amazing.

I think I’m going to be odd man out here, but I’ll just come out and say it. I only gave this three stars, and for this reason. The story started out building two interesting characters in real time, and I was in the middle of their story. I was psyched to see how their love built. But it quickly turned into one long narration. No more dialog, no more getting to know Jenn or how her life came to be the way it was. It was set up to be interesting, but all she became was someone else’s remembrance. This story had potential. It’s a shame.

To the anonymous reader that didn’t like the fact that I didn’t provide much dialogue from Jenn in the second half of this story, I want you to know that was done on purpose. Diseases of all kinds, but especially cancer, I believe, dehumanize people, literally stealing their voices and their dignity. The line “she don’t have a voice to sing with now” is an attempt to convey that idea. Readers are certainly free to like or dislike the tricks/techniques that writers use. For what it’s worth, I was trying something artistic.

Amazing story. Its really touched me to the core. Definitely a five star rating 🌟👍🌟👍🌟👍🌟👍🌟

I agree with the author about diseases and their effects on people. And on top of that add the effects of therapy (ever heard of chemo-brain?) robbing the individual of their humanity and personality. One shouldn’t expect her to remain witty and clever up until her death. I might have a tiny quibble with details of her medical treatments but nothing that detracts from the overall story. Well done.

Damn, that was a hard one to read. Loved Jenn and wish she'd a long and happy life. Great story 5/5

A well written story about a horrible event. I went through a similar happening a couple of years ago with my wife of 49 years. I don’t think there’s anything worse than the helplessness you feel throughout the whole thing. I don’t know how many times I wished it was me lying there instead of her. Thanks for the story, stfloyd. It was a hard read but worth the time. I think.

Oh my! That was intense and drew me deeply right till the end. The story is beautiful, but I think the heart of the story lives in the words unsaid. Well done!

The first story on this site that made me cry. Thanks for the marvelous story, God bless you.

Grit! Executed as bravely as it was succinctly. Deserves more stars. Shallow readers shy from hard reality though. I’m inspired. Thank you

I keep reading it over and over. Really gets to me.