Writing prompts

In the midst of all of the chaos of Christmas, a house fire, and finishing up work projects so we can dissapear over the holidays, I had an amazing visit from a friend I hadn't seen in five years and his inspiring girlfriend.

Kieron and Elspeth arrived at our house the day after our fire. We had offered them a place to stay as they travelled Canada, in between a year in Sierra Leone and their return to Australia, but as we were temporarily hotel bound, they had to be as well.

That didn't phase them. They booked a room and we began planning what they would need to see and do while in Lake Louise.

Hearing their stories and witnessing how they embraced Canadian culture and yearned to experience everything they could, I began to feel inspired to make some changes in my own life.

I couldn't live in a mud hut for a year as they just had, nor could I give up my job and home and travel as extensively as they do, but with the new year coming, I will make a promise to myself, not a resolution, but rather a guarantee, that I will be more. I will do more, experience more, cherish more, love more, and create more. I will not save my days off in case we go away, I will go away and use every last minute of my holidays. I will not lament a year gone by and wonder what has happened, nor will I forsake the pleasures of every day life. I will be brave and take risks. I will jump, I will fall, I will let go of boundaries.

Inspired by my guests, I have taken a small step towards rekindling my love of writing. I found a great website which posts weekly writing prompts which I will use as a muse to rouse the oft-ignored writer inside of me.

I took a few moments to write my first response to one of The Writer's Digest's prompts earlier. The prompts range from silly to thought-provoking but seem a good way to stimulate both mind and creativity.

Here's one challenge that I took:

Write a 26-word story where every word begins with a different letter of the alphabet.

and my first crack at it:

A brown yearling cow danced effortlessly to Granny Higgins xylophone in Jackson, Kentucky last Wednesday. No one posed questions, rowdy seniors ‘udderly’ vex zoo fresh milk.

Silly, but it got a different part of my brain working, which was refreshing.

I don't know if this was one of Oprah's 'a-ha' moments, but it reinforced something I all ready knew, but am constantly ignoring. Life should not be taken forgranted. Your dreams are meant to be chased and your talents should not be wasted.

I've always loved Erma Bombeck's quote:

When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me."

From now on, that will be my mantra.

For all of you, I wish you an inspiring new year filled with more.