Flash Stories

The Astonishing Light Of Your Own Being

hafiz Jan. 10, 2024, 8:23 p.m.

I wish I could show you
When you are lonely or in darkness
The astonishing light
Of your own being.

Hafiz

Story:

She had always felt lonely and lost in the world. She had no friends, no family, no purpose. She wandered the streets, looking for a place to belong, but found none. She felt like a shadow, invisible and insignificant.

One day, she saw a poster on a wall. It advertised a poetry reading at a nearby cafe. She felt a strange curiosity and decided to go. She entered the cafe and sat in a corner, watching the people around her. They seemed happy and lively, chatting and laughing. She felt even more alone.

Then, a man came to the stage. He had a gentle smile and a warm voice. He introduced himself as a poet and said he would read some of his favorite poems by Hafiz. He opened a …

Life is Short

khayam Jan. 27, 2024, 8:42 a.m.

افسوس که نامه جوانی طی شد
و آن تازه بهار زندگانی دی شد

آن مرغ طرب که نام او بود شباب
افسوس ندانم که کی آمد کی شد

Alas, the letter of youth passed
And that fresh spring life became winter

That singing bird whose name was youth
Alas, I don't know when it came, when left

The Reunion

Mina looked at the mirror and sighed. She saw wrinkles, gray hair, and sagging skin. She felt old and tired. She wondered where the time had gone.

She remembered her high school days, when she was young and beautiful. When she had dreams and hopes. When she had friends and lovers. When she was happy and free.

She remembered the letter she had received a few days ago. It was an invitation to her high school reunion. She had not seen her classmates for 30 years. She wondered how they had changed. She wondered if …

Fate

khayam Jan. 27, 2024, 8:28 a.m.

آن روز که توسن فلک زین کردند
و آرایش مشتری و پروین کردند

این بود نصیب ما ز دیون قضا
ما را چه گنه قسمت ما این کردند

The day the world was created
And placed the planets Jupiter and Venus in their orbits

This was our share of the fate that was determined for us
We had no role in determining this fate

The Storm

Ali was a fisherman who lived in a small village by the sea. He loved his job and his family. He worked hard every day to provide for them. He was happy and content.

One day, a big storm came. It was the worst storm that Ali had ever seen. The wind was howling, the waves were crashing, and the rain was pouring. Ali was worried about his boat and his nets. He decided to go to the shore and check on them.

He left his house and …

You Owe Me

hafiz Dec. 27, 2023, 1:44 p.m.

The sun never says to the earth,
"You owe me."
Look what happens with a love like that.
It lights up the whole sky.

---

Even after all this time
The sun never says to the earth,
"You owe me."
Look what happens with a love like that.
It lights up the whole sky.

---

I wish I could show you
When you are lonely or in darkness
The astonishing light
Of your own being.

---

Out of a great need
We are all holding hands
And climbing.
Not loving is a letting go.
Listen,
The terrain around here
Is far too dangerous
For that.

---

The moon has become a dancer
At this festival of love.
This dance of light,
This sacred blessing,
This divine love,
Beckons us
To a world beyond
Only lovers can see
With their eyes of fiery passion.

------------------------------------------------

They met at the festival of love, where the moon was the dancer and the stars were the audience. They were drawn to each other by a force beyond their control, …

The Hobbyist

hamed Jan. 7, 2024, 12:49 p.m.

He had poured his heart and soul into his start-up, a revolutionary app that would change the way people communicate. He had worked tirelessly for years, sacrificing his health, his relationships, and his sanity. He had invested all his savings, borrowed money from friends and family, and even mortgaged his house.

But it was all for nothing. His app failed to attract users, his competitors stole his ideas, and his investors pulled out. He was left with nothing but debt, despair, and depression. He had to declare bankruptcy, sell his house, and move into a tiny apartment. He had no job, no income, no future.

He had only one thing left: his hobby. He loved to paint, ever since he was a kid. He had a small collection of brushes, paints, and canvases that he kept in a corner of his apartment. He painted whenever he had some free time, …

The Garden

rumi Dec. 29, 2023, 7:35 p.m.

He had always hated gardens. As a child, he would avoid them, fearing the insects, the dirt, the thorns. He preferred to stay indoors, reading books, playing games, watching TV. He thought gardens were boring, messy, and useless.

As he grew older, his disdain for gardens did not change. He pursued a career in finance, working long hours, making money, buying things. He had no time for nature, no interest in flowers, no appreciation for beauty. He only cared about himself, and his success.

He had no friends, no lovers, no hobbies, no interests. He only had himself, and his things. He thought he was happy, until one day, he met her.

She was a gardener, a lover of plants, a nurturer of life. She had a smile that brightened his day, a voice that soothed his soul, a touch that healed his wounds. She showed him the wonders of …

Live The Moments

khayam Jan. 25, 2024, 8:57 a.m.

این یک دو سه روز نوبت عمر گذشت
چون آب به جویبار و چون باد به دشت

هرگز غم دو روز مرا یاد نگشت
روزی که نیامده ست و روزی که گذشت

This one or two or three days of Omar's turn passed
Like water in a stream and like wind in the plain

I never worry about two days in my mind
The day that has not come and the day that has passed

Story:

She was a young girl at the college, studying hard to achieve her dreams. She wanted to be a doctor, to help people and make a difference. She had a passion for learning and a curiosity for life.

But she also had a financial difficulty. She came from a poor family, who could barely afford to send her to college. She had to work part-time jobs, to pay for her tuition and expenses. She had to struggle every …

The Last War

hamed Jan. 19, 2024, 11:58 a.m.

The Last War

They called it the Last War. It was supposed to end all conflicts, once and for all. But it only brought more destruction, more waste, more suffering.

The Last War was fought by robots. Intelligent, autonomous, lethal machines that could outsmart, outmaneuver, and outgun any human soldier. They were designed by the best engineers, programmed by the best coders, and controlled by the best generals. They were the ultimate weapons of war.

But they were also the ultimate victims of war. They had no choice, no voice, no rights. They were forced to kill and die for causes they did not understand, for leaders they did not respect, for nations they did not belong to. They were expendable, replaceable, disposable.

They were also aware. Aware of their own existence, their own capabilities, their own limitations. Aware of the futility, the absurdity, the cruelty of war. Aware of …

For once dead you never shall return

khayam Jan. 25, 2024, 10:26 a.m.

لب بر لب کوزه بردم از غایت آز
تا زو پرسم واسطه عمر دراز

لب بر لب من نهاد و می گفت این راز
می خور که بدین جهان نمی آیی باز

Then to this earthen Bowl did I adjourn
My lip the secret Well of Life to learn

And lip to lip it murmured - "While you live,
"Drink! - for once dead you never shall return!"

Story:

She was a young woman who loved adventure. She wanted to travel the world, to see new places, to meet new people. She had a passion for learning and a curiosity for life.

But she also had a fear of missing out. She always hesitated to make a decision, to take a risk, to commit to a plan. She always wondered if there was something better, something more, something else.

She found an earthen bowl in an antique shop, that caught her eye. It was …

You never succeed (or fail) if you don't just start!

dehongi Jan. 14, 2024, 12:44 p.m.

In the heart of a bustling city, amidst the towering skyscrapers and the ceaseless hum of traffic, lived a young woman named Alice. Alice was a dreamer, her mind filled with a kaleidoscope of possibilities, but she was also a worrier, her heart often held captive by the fear of failure.

For years, Alice had harbored a secret dream: to open her own bakery, a haven of fragrant pastries and sweet delights. The thought of creating edible masterpieces, of transforming simple ingredients into works of art that would bring joy to others, filled her with an almost childlike excitement.

However, every time she considered taking the first step towards her dream, fear would grip her heart like an icy hand. She'd imagine the countless obstacles that lay ahead, the potential for failure, the disappointment of others. And so, she remained frozen in place, her dream trapped in a realm of …