{"id":12251,"date":"2004-09-01T07:40:39","date_gmt":"2004-09-01T11:40:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12251"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:09:27","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:09:27","slug":"love-always-love-by-debbieb","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12251","title":{"rendered":"Love… Always Love (by DebbieB)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:<\/strong>\u00a0 Love knows no barriers, that’s what my grandmother once told me.\u00a0 I must have been feeling her presence on the day I wrote this short, short story.<\/p>\n

Rated:\u00a0 <\/strong>G\u00a0 Tissue alert (1,450 words)<\/p>\n

Love… Always Love<\/strong><\/p>\n

A legacy\u2026that\u2019s all he had ever wanted to leave for his sons, his legacy. But there he stood, amid the rubble and ruin of the ancient log house that he had for more than half his lifetime, called home.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Gone now were his three eldest sons. Hoss, taken from them so very quickly, so many years ago\u2026in a twinkle of an eye, here one minute and gone the next\u2026<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe, what with all he\u2019d been made to suffered through emotionally with the loss of his wife and their unborn child, stricken with a deadly illness that slowly ate at his insides and left him with such intolerable agony that he could barely stand the feel of the bed linens against his decaying body\u2026now he was gone as well.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And Adam\u2026he might as well be dead, it had been a lifetime since the old man had heard one word from his eldest son. Adam had stopped writing years ago, so long ago that the old man could hardly remember the last time he\u2019d received a letter. No doubt that the boy, a man now for years, was most likely dead too.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The very things he\u2019d ever loved, ever cherished were his sons, his home, his land\u2026and now it was all for not\u2026for they were all gone, lost to him forever over the passage of time and distance.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The old man sighed heavily and turned. With the help of his walking stick and the young man beside him, Ben Cartwright climbed slowly back into his carriage. It was no easy feat, for his work worn hands were bent and twisted, the fingers no longer straight and strong and flexible as they had been in his youth. His back was bowed; his shoulders slumped, causing him to groan as Jamie helped him into the buggy. Quickly the younger man hurried around to the opposite side and climbed in next to the old man, taking a moment to wrap the blanket about the aged old body for warmth.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cStop up at the lake, Jamie, please.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYessir, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

At the lake, Jamie helped Ben from the carriage and aided the elderly Cartwright to move to the graves of his loved ones. Feeling a deep embedded sorrow down in the well of his heart that threatened to overcome him, Jamie stepped back and left his adopted father alone with his thoughts.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben moved slowly from grave to grave. Marie had been his third wife, the love that came to him in his later years and bore for him, his third son, Joseph Frances, the spirit of the Ponderosa.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Using his cane for support, Ben gently rubbed his hand over the top of the massive stone that bore his middle son\u2019s name, Hoss Cartwright. Ben, his sorrow so deeply rooted in his heart and soul, couldn\u2019t help but smile. Hoss had been the very heart of this place. He had grown to manhood here and had forever left his mark on this land that he had loved and in the hearts of every man, woman and child who had ever had the opportunity to meet the gentle giant.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tightening his lips, Ben moved to the next stone. For a long moment he stood as if frozen in time, for in his heart, time had come to a complete stop when his youngest and most enduring son had passed from this life into the next. Ben felt the swell of his chest, the tightness of his throat as memories of happier times drifted into his mind. His heart thumped with both joy and grief for what he had lost when Little Joe had died.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben closed his eyes. The boy had been so weak, so lifeless for days before his passing. Joe had begged his father to hold him, and Ben never able to refuse his son anything, did as requested. For hours upon hours, Ben had held his son, fingering the soft chestnut curls, whispering of his love, humming and singing softly as he watched the life in which he had fathered, slip further and further away from him and closer and closer to the opened door of heaven.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben felt the sting of tears that flooded his eyes, his heart beat rapidly as he felt again all the pain, all the sorrow, all the grief as if Joe\u2019s passing had just occurred. Ben swiped his hand over his face to wipe away the tears that rolled gently downward, wishing with all of his heart that he could turn back the hands on the clock and recall the years when his sons, Adam, Hoss and Little Joe had been boys. But he knew that could never be, he knew that regardless, the hands of time ticked on and all the yesterdays that had filled his life with such pure, unrefined joy, was lost to him forever, never to be again.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But he had his memories, he told himself and he had his dreams, and until such time that the Almighty deemed it his<\/em> time, Ben would have to be satisfied with those.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cIt won\u2019t be long now, boys, until we\u2019re all together again,\u201d Ben whispered lowly.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He kissed his fingers and rubbed them across the top of Joe\u2019s headstone. As he turned to go, he stopped again at Hoss\u2019 grave and gave for the big man, his kiss of love. A third kiss he placed on Marie\u2019s headstone.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI love you all,\u201d he whispered, his voice crackled by age. \u201cAnd I miss each one of you,\u201d he added. \u201cBut I\u2019m coming home soon\u2026real soon,\u201d Ben whispered. \u201cAnd when I get there, we\u2019ll have a big party, with lots of good food, and music and dancing\u2026just the way you boys like them,\u201d smiled Ben.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The old man swallowed the lump in his throat and turned, seeing Jamie standing against the buggy. He noted the stream of tears that trickled down the freckled face and Ben paused, placing his hand on the young man\u2019s shoulder.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAs much as I\u2019ve loved each one of them, I\u2019ve loved you as much, Jamie. Never forget that, please son. When I\u2019m gone from this life, my love will still be with you, as theirs is with me. All this,\u201d Ben said, waving his arm about, \u201cwill be yours, to do with as you please. I only ask one thing of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAnything, Pa,\u201d Jamie said with a thickness in his voice.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThose,\u201d Ben said, pointing to the three graves, \u201ccare for them, tend to them, and remember us with love and laughter\u2026though our bodies will return to dust, our spirits remain with you, always\u2026and our love, for love breaks all barriers and even death cannot restrain love\u2026our love for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cI will, Pa\u2026I promise\u2026I\u2019ll look after all of you,\u201d Jamie said as he fought back the tears that threatened to overflow.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cGood boy, Jamie, good boy. I knew I could depend on you. Now help me up into the buggy, I have to go home and get ready for my journey, it\u2019s almost time,\u201d Ben said as he touched his hand to the young man\u2019s face in a fatherly manner.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve brought me much happiness, Jamie. And I want you to know, I\u2019ve never for one minute regretted making you my son. I\u2019m proud of you, of what you\u2019ve become.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I have tried, all my life to bring respect and dignity to the Cartwright name. I now leave it to you. Remember what the name Cartwright, stands for. Be ever mindful of how it came to be and what battles if fought to remain in such high esteem. I only pray that it will remain as such throughout this land for years to come. It is my legacy now\u2026to all those who come to know it and understand it\u2019s true meaning…which is, respect, honor, dignity, but the greatest of these is love\u2026always love\u2026for one another, for our fellow man\u2026and for our God.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And thus it was, and thus it shall always be. Cartwright, a name that represents what all men desired most\u2026to be loved by their sons and respected by those who know them; an icon, known to millions around the world. Cartwright, a lasting symbol of fatherhood that far exceeded even Ben Cartwright\u2019s expectancy.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ben made his final journey, and there to greet him was his loved ones\u2026his wives, Hoss and Little Joe\u2026and yes, even Hop Sing\u2026but Adam had not yet arrived, and Jamie, well he did as his father asked. For many, many years after his father had made his final journey, Jamie Hunter Cartwright tended to the graves on the hill overlooking the lake, and would continue to do so until the day came that the circle would be complete.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

THE END<\/p>\n

September 2004<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/g><\/svg><\/i> \"Loading\"<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0 Love knows no barriers, that’s what my grandmother once told me.\u00a0 I must have been feeling her presence on the day I wrote this short, short story.<\/p>\n

Rated:\u00a0 G\u00a0 Tissue alert (1,450 words)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9052,"featured_media":376,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,41,698],"tags":[15,20],"class_list":["post-12251","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-hurtcomfort","category-post-timeline","tag-ben","tag-jhc","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-41-id","wpcat-698-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":1832,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/coming-soon-4.jpg?fit=320%2C240&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":45887,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=45887","url_meta":{"origin":12251,"position":0},"title":"I Saw Her Again (by Annie K Cowgirl)","author":"Annie K Cowgirl","date":"May 6, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: Of love, loss, and hope for the future. A poem from Ben's point of view. Rating: K Word Count: 202","rel":"","context":"In "Ben Cartwright"","block_context":{"text":"Ben Cartwright","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=1004"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Rose-01.jpg?fit=400%2C300&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3482,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=3482","url_meta":{"origin":12251,"position":1},"title":"Killing Cartwrights (by freyakendra)","author":"freyakendra","date":"October 25, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: Total, inane, silliness, prompted by Inca challenging writers to do what no one--or mostly no one, anyway--wants to do: actually kill a Cartwright! Subsequent discussion bordered on the macabre, with congratulations bestowed upon writers meeting the challenge. These 2 parodies resulted.... Rated: K+ \u00a0WC \u00a0550","rel":"","context":"In "Humor"","block_context":{"text":"Humor","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=4"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/killing-cartwrights.jpg?fit=1070%2C887&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/killing-cartwrights.jpg?fit=1070%2C887&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/killing-cartwrights.jpg?fit=1070%2C887&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/killing-cartwrights.jpg?fit=1070%2C887&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/killing-cartwrights.jpg?fit=1070%2C887&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":61919,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=61919","url_meta":{"origin":12251,"position":2},"title":"A Wise Man Said (by JC)","author":"JC","date":"January 14, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: Insightful observations from the Journal of Hop Sing Rating: G\u00a0 \u00a0WC: 445 Venerable Hop Sing has been a mostly silent witness to pivotal Ponderosa events through the years, Cartwright triumphs, tragedies, and misadventures. But he has been taking notes. Here are a few excerpts from his journal, his observations\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Hop Sing"","block_context":{"text":"Hop Sing","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=1010"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/vlcsnap-error737.png?fit=768%2C576&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/vlcsnap-error737.png?fit=768%2C576&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/vlcsnap-error737.png?fit=768%2C576&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/vlcsnap-error737.png?fit=768%2C576&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":12160,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=12160","url_meta":{"origin":12251,"position":3},"title":"Happy Birthday Pa! (by DebbieB)","author":"DebbieB","date":"February 1, 2002","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0\u00a0 Joe's down in Texas on Pa's birthday...but he hasn't forgotten his father's special day.\u00a0 He has written a letter home to wish Ben a Happy Birthday. Rated:\u00a0 G\u00a0 (780 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Ben-Draw.jpg?fit=278%2C354&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5392,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=5392","url_meta":{"origin":12251,"position":4},"title":"The Ballad of Ben Cartwright (by ansinico)","author":"ansinico","date":"May 1, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: \u00a0l have put my own words to the\u00a0air of an Irish drinking song, \u00a0'The Wild Rover' also called 'No Nay Never' \u00a0l hope you like it. Rated: K \u00a0(500)","rel":"","context":"In "Poetry"","block_context":{"text":"Poetry","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=9"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Ben-1.jpg?fit=234%2C234&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":13771,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13771","url_meta":{"origin":12251,"position":5},"title":"Beginning Again (by JC)","author":"JC","date":"February 12, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: Ben Cartwright has twice known love and loss. Will the third time be the charm? Rating: T (1,044 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Ben Cartwright"","block_context":{"text":"Ben Cartwright","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=1004"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/ben3.jpg?fit=320%2C240&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12251","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/9052"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12251"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12251\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/376"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12251"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12251"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12251"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}