The swings creak. The slides throw long shadows. Here is where we shared an orange. There is where your sister skinned her knee. Little dramas, all grown up.
Come, children, new playgrounds await.
This post was written in response to the final Trifecta Writing Challenge prompt:
For the final challenge here at Trifecta, we considered some flash and dazzle, a wild prompt to send us off with a bang. What we realized was the most achingly beautiful, haunting and dazzling words we’ve read from our brilliant community have been the ones you chose when you were given the freedom to write with abandon. So we’re lovingly, and eagerly, placing the choice in your hands. There’s no topic, no word, just a free write. Go anywhere your mind wants to travel. Take us there too. Just make it count, leave your blood all over this page. Thirty-three words exactly. Of course. We couldn’t end it any other way.
I’ll miss you, Trifecta. Hope to see you all in new playgrounds.
Christine Hanolsy 
Indeed, they do. And I trust you all to find them and use them and even make them better than they are today. I hope the positivity that surrounded Trifecta gets spread out to many corners of the internet. Thank you for everything, Christine. You’ve been instrumental.
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You play a great game. Hope to see you again on some other game
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Christine, this is beautiful! I concur wholeheartedly. Oh what fun we had. And you’re writing drew me in and made me think and made me feel. We’ll miss our playtimes together, but like you said — new playgrounds await us!!
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A playground — truly a fitting metaphor. 🙂
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Christine, this one I read quite a few times. ‘Haunting’ comes to mind… beautifully conceived and written. You made me think of all the writers I have met. See you around.
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What a cool write-loved that last line-yes hope keeps us going:-)All the best and may we meet again,tc and God Bless
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Oh, love love love.
Perfect.
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Love the imagery of this. For one horrible moment I thought you wanted us to grow up. See you in another playground soon 😉
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Indeed, they do.
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Beautiful….so full of nostalgia and there is really something so sacred about playgrounds, you know? Great post, as always, Christine 🙂
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Ok, I just about cried. The vision of the empty playground…so bittersweet.
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Beautiful, Christine. I always love what you do with words. Hope to see you around at other challenges.
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Oh, how perfect.
PERFECT.
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You make me want to throw a little tantrum, Christine. Okay, a big one.
Perfect pitch, perfect measure. But would you please pick up the goddamn orange peel when you leave?
*sniff*
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Little dramas, all grown up – so true and powerful. As always, your words always shine!
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Oh, the sadness of saying goodbye and moving on to new playgrounds. (At least I’ll ‘see’ you at Speakeasy, so it’s not really goodbye! 🙂 )
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You told an entire story in such few words. So many memories, so little details and elaboration. Love it!
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Awwww, I love it! This brought tears!!!! You know how to weave the most beautiful words, Christine. I will look back at this, our playground, with such fondness, but there are new monkey bars to swing on. I hope we all land someplace close by so we can continue to nibble on orange quarters together!!! (Thanks for setting up the Twitter group, too!)
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🙂 Thanks, Gina! I wish it were easier to tweet to the whole group. We’ll have to start using #Trifectans when we post, I guess.
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Ah, so nostalgic. Makes one never want to go grow-up. But the memories are worth the time spent.
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it made me cry, but with the hope of new playgrounds, old friendships and bushels of oranges and words.
you always say it just right, this was no exception my friend.
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*hugs* I “wrote” it on my bike, on my way in to work, with tears blurring my eyes. Call me sentimental (or finifugal – a new word that describes me perfectly!) but there you have it.
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you’re my very favorite finifugal 😉
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Wow.. such a perfect goodbye!
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Beautifully done! My favorite so far, I think.
If I hadn’t met you through trifecta, look what I would have missed!
Looking forward to your next words…
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You are a sweetheart, Guapo! I am so happy to have run across you. You never fail to make me smile. 🙂 <– See?
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A wonderful way to go out. I think yours was the very first Trifecta post I stumbled upon, so I’m glad your finish was as great as your start.
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There are so many fantastic writers here. I’m just pleased I had the chance to play along. 🙂 Thank you so very much for your kind words!
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This is really, really good. I am glad I got to see it.
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Thank you! It was harder to write than I expected.
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