Birthdays a writing prompt

My writing prompt this week at Sunday's whirlagig is:

I will return to fiction writing when we settle down a bit. For now, these prompts are a release for me personally. Thank you for sharing my life. Your comments keep me from feeling so alone.

I read a book on writing once, that said, write write write ! all the words.
Write with abandon.
Then later, after you've  spent all the words needed, then put on your editors cap, and edit.
That's what I've learned to do. Write write write, and then re-read and edit.

What is your process for writing? 

THIS WEEK'S WORDS  open, woods, stolen, fly, swarms, deal, masked, worry, need, moan, valuables, get

       Birthdays

"Be open to life's possibilities"

Yes, she has heard this phrase often, and it always felt more like an admonition than encouragement.

These days it felt like a sign over a closed door, like "Exit" or "Enter"... it  told you where to go...

"Be open to possibility"
Go in... or out... but go...


What do you do with worry though?

On the Erickson's hierarchy of needs, shelter and safety come before adventure, and her family needed a new shelter. They wanted to find one that felt like "home"  and apparently so did many many other people. It was hard not to worry when they lost bid after bid on homes that were at best, just okay. Their time had run out at their rental, and taken hope with it.

When you can't see an outcome, then worry sneaks in like a thief in the night, like a mist after a rain, like fly buzzing around your head. It had became a constant companion that they went to sleep with and woke up to.


So, today on her birthday, she also sought meaning and adventure.

She wanted to remember why they made this great change in life. She wanted to see the woods, the mountains, and people. They knew Monday would bring back all the work involved in moving  but for the weekend, this weekend when they were to start her new year, to celebrate her life, to look into the future, they needed to fly past their basic needs into the world of possibility.


Birthdays are reminders that "daily needs" are not all there is.

Life is created with the meaning given to it's moments. 
Daily needs make way for the big picture at such moments, the grand schemes, the turning points, the celebrations, the rituals that define us as much or more than the daily grind.

Moments when we mark the celebration of life, we see how valuable time is. Birthdays and anniversaries remind us of that.
They remind us that fun is  important, and it will be there waiting for us after the basic needs are met.

If shelter, food and safety is our daily bread, then fun is the frosting on cake.

Sweetness is important.

Birthdays are valuable, they remind us of where we've been, and what we've experienced before, and of what we have yet to experience.

                                                                   the end  beginning