There is a book that I have that has writing prompts in them. I will not tell the prompt that I am using for this, so that I do not give away the prompts for sake of the author not being able to get additional sales. The current book I am using is “5-Minute Daily Writing Prompts” by Tarn WIlson. I will, however, include the story that comes out of the prompt to share some of my writing here on the blog. These prompts ask you to only write for a limited amount of time, so I will only write for a few minutes with each of these particular prompts. This may change with future prompt books that I use.
PROMPT #1
There was a bang that normally wouldn’t have woken me from my sleep, but for some reason it did this time. I looked around my room and realized that it was still early morning and far too early for me to be awake. I shouldn’t be awake yet. I don’t want to be awake actually, I want to be asleep. For once, it wasn’t the dogs needing to go out at least. In fact, my dogs were being far too quiet for something that woke me out of slumber. I see them both sleeping on the bed next to me. Their small little bodies slumbering happily. I allow my eyes to continue to wake up and wipe sleep out of my eyes. That is when I see it. My shadow is moving away from me and towards the bedroom door. What am I even seeing?
I continue to lay in the bed for just a few more moments, but quickly throw on the slippers next to my bed. I creep along trying to not make any noise, but you know how that goes. I heard every single movement that I made, worried that my shadow would disappear. When I came out of my bedroom I see it running down the stairs, I force myself against the wall so that it does not see me. I hear the front door open and know that whatever is happening is going to be a lot.
As I follow my shadow, it winds up and down streets stopping at times. Three times I notice that it has come to a stop for longer periods of times. Just standing there. The first time it did this was outside the grocery store. I had been there the day previous to get some fruits. While there I had seen an old friend from high school. I ran down a different aisle to avoid them, but had wished that I had said hello. It runs off quickly after I have this thought. My shadow goes down an alley. I have lived in this town for several years, but I don’t recognize this alley. I can see my shadow standing in the alley next to a box. I can see feet sticking out of the box. I remember those shoes. I saw them yesterday at work. It was an elderly gentleman that looked homeless. It looked like he needed someone to talk to, but I was so busy with the other aspects of my job that I didn’t prioritize that human. I instead focused on a meeting that I was placed in. The last long stop it makes it outside of a house that I do not immediately recognize. I look at the house bewildered with my eyebrows arching as I try to place it. I recognize that it is my father’s house. We have been estranged for 5 years. We haven’t said two words to each other. Yesterday, I thought to myself that I wish I would reach out to him to heal these wounds, I didn’t. My shadow suddenly dissipates. I cannot see it any more. I put my hand to my face as I feel something there. I wipe away the wetness that has now taken it’s place where it has so many different days. I know the message now. I get it. I walk back home.
Once I arrive back at home, I walk back up the stairs. I sit down next to my dogs as they continue their slumber. If only I would allow myself to be alive. My shadow told me what I needed to hear. I have stopped listening to myself about what I want from this life, doing the things that align with who I am. The risks that should be taken have become feared. Life had become too much. Interacting with most people outside of work had simply become too much. Yesterday, I should have been authentic. Instead I made choices to be a version of myself that I don’t recognize. This person that I do not want to be. Suddenly, I saw my shadow in front of me and it cradled my face. It kissed my face. It wasn’t my shadow. The outline took shape, it was the person that raised me. My grandmother. She was telling me to let go. Stop hating, stop being scared. We would never be at true peace with each other, but in this moment I felt the most calm as I returned my head to the pillow. Peace starts with forgiveness.
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