The Story Spark was Write Something. The writing prompts I chose were: In the back of the closet and Alone in his room. We had 20 minutes to write.
The Finding
I couldn’t find what I was looking for. I had it just yesterday. I was trying to keep it hidden from everyone so I wouldn’t lose it. It must be in a very secretive place.
I’ve looked everywhere I could think of. Down in the basement lockbox, up in the attic where I store all my old stuff. Even in the back of the closet, where I keep all the clothes I love and refuse to give up.
This was a bad case of doorway syndrome. You know, when you walk through a door to a room and forget why you went there.
Where could I have left it?
Finally, I decided to go into my private space, shut the door and the light, close my eyes, which really wasn’t necessary with the lights off, and let my mind wander. Which isn’t difficult for me, as my mind wanders frequently without any added stimulus.
I took a deep breath and let all thoughts dissipate. Fat chance that is ever going to happen. It didn’t take me long to focus on nothing.
And that is exactly when I found what I had been looking for — My sanity.
In a world filled with conflict. In a world consumed by too much hate, in a world denying the reality of our need to save our planet, in the world’s relentless acceptance of lies and mis-truths, I needed to find some solace and hope that there was going to be a future, not an end.
Darkness was a fitting place to expose all these feelings. Darkness encompassed where I was in this room.
It was then that I noticed the light that began to show under the door frame and through the keyhole.
I began to hear the voices of the ones I love, coming through from the outside.
I got up, and as I opened the door to my room, not only did the light from the hallway fill my space, but sunlight through the panes of textured glass on the windows created rainbows of color on the floor I walked on.
Opening the windows brought forth the sounds of nature calling out to me, “We are here. We are with you. We will not let this be our final days.”
My spirit awoke. Hope, though not assured, was present and guiding me to a better place. To a brighter future.
Time is not up. This is not the end game. This will be what you and those like me will make of it. We can prevail.
Sometimes, it is important to stop the world and your surroundings to get your bearings and move forward to a better place. That is what I found.
