"Okay."

Writing Prompt 
Wk. two

Using less than 500 words write a scene with two characters who haven’t seen each other for a number of years. What does each character want? Why haven’t they seen each other for so long? Can you convey this while maintaining tension?

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I was at the grocery store picking up a loaf of bread, as I was waiting in line to pay, I felt my coat vibrate. I pulled out phone thinking it would be my mom, she was expecting me at any time now. Instead it was him. He asked to meet me at The Lakehouse, I grudgingly agreed to it. Its only in this moment that I regret it.

My eyes discovered him as if he was the only one in the restaurant, and when I did, the pain quickly followed. I walked over to him, with every step my heartbeat got louder and louder.

"Hi" he smiled.

"Hi" I kept my poker face on, I didnt know what else to do. He didnt deserve a smile, so I didnt give him one.

"How have you been, Emma?"

"Why do you all of a sudden care?" I said sharply.

He looked alarmed at my response.

"I guess I do deserve that."  He nodded his head.

"What do you want John?" I asked.

His eyes went from innocent to defensive. Yet he still held his tongue.

"Emma, I know this is hard to understand, because you dont know everything. For that I am sorry."

"It doesnt have to be that way, you dont have to keep things from me."

"It's more complicated than that. Emma, I want to get to know you again, all I know is the past. I want to know YOU, for who you've grown to be. Its been nine years."

"Who's fault is that?" I replied.

"Mine." He looked directly in my eyes.
I looked at him, surprised he finally took the blame.

"Why did you leave, you expect me to pick up where we left off, but we can't just sweep the past under the rug and pretend it's going to be alright! it's not alright!" My voice crackled, as my heart pounded in anger.

"I left because, back then I was a boy. I had a lot of my own issues to work out and I knew that I couldnt expect you to have to deal with that. So I did what I had to do, it was the best. I don't expect you to understand but you just have to trust me." he pleaded.

I held my tears back, I couldn't show any signs of weakness, at least not now.

"I dont even know you anymore."

"I want to change that. Em, I'm your father, let me at least try."

I thought back to the time we were at my friends birthday party, and I was jumping on the trampoline. I jumped so high that when I landed I heard a crack, and the pain quickly followed. My dad came to me almost before the tears could escape my eyes. Even though I had never felt more pain... I also never felt more safe. 

I looked at him now, and the pain I felt the moment I walked in the room was shrouded by the longing I had to feel the safeness I once felt as a kid.

I looked at him, with tears welling in my eyes, I said "Okay."

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 If you're interested in seeing these writing prompts for yourself please visit this site://www.alicekuipers.com/prompts/

Prompt Challenge 1 - Goodbye

Week One:
Here is this weeks pompt challenge:

Using less that 500 words, write a scene that includes each of the following elements:
A cell phone.
A man who has a secret.
An empty house.

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The air smelled exactly the way I left it, cold and salty. Seeing the walls bare makes it hard to believe the memories it holds.  The day I left is burned into my mind like a stain I can’t wash away.

The first few weeks were the hardest, ignoring the phone calls, and putting away the memories like fine China you don’t need anymore.  Anywhere I went I saw us there.  I had to constantly remind myself of the decision I made, and more importantly the reason I made that decision. Although it was hard, sometimes the best decisions we make are the hardest ones. I knew that now.  The one regret I have about this whole situation is not telling her why.

Why did you leave?

Why couldn’t you tell me?

I heard her say those things in my mind more than I could hear my own thoughts. The answer is I never had the courage. If I saw her today, I would say I’m sorry. Not that it means anything now, but I would say it because she deserves at least that. The ring of my cell phone interrupted the reminiscent thoughts I was playing back.

“Hello…Yes I’ll be home soon, I just had to pick up some wine for dinner.”

“Bye. I love you”

I took one last good look at the lifeless rooms before me. Breathed in one last salty breath, and I turned around and put one foot in front of the other. I got to the door and closed it behind me, took the key and turned the lock.  I continued down the front steps and down the cement path. Lost in my thoughts I almost tripped over the For Sale sign, then I smiled and thanked the Realtor for letting me take the tour of the home and said unfortunately it wasn’t exactly what I was looking for.  I got in my car, put the key in the ignition and started it up. Then I drove off, without a second glance.

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 If you're interested in seeing these writing prompts for yourself please visit this site://www.alicekuipers.com/prompts/

 

 

Beautiful Moments

I have a confession.

It’s a painful reverberation in my heart. A longing that consumes my mind.

I want to be here.

By here, I mean…. Here.

I want to live inside my moments, capture all that surrounds me, good or bad. I’m not sure when it was that I lost my wonder, I want to say somewhere between my life and my future. At the end of my days when all I have is a mind full of memories to flip through, I want to know that I relished all of my moments.

If I can speak vulnerably, I can say that all of my devotions, thoughts and our prayers have been for God to give me back my sight. The veil of beauty that once filtered everything I saw, every person I talked to, and every thought that I had.  

I pray for beautiful moments, good or bad.

Love,

SR

DIY: Chalkboard fun!

I've had a cork-board sitting in my closet for almost 2 years now, it was doing nothing for me. I dreamed up big plans I had for it and I never did anything. Last week I decided, I know what I'm going to do with it... and I'm going to get it done by the end of the week!

Here is what you need:  

• Hot glue gun
• Hot glue
• Clothes pins 
• Chalk Paint 
• Paint brush 
• Paint color of your choice (Sample size container)
• I went to home depot and looked at their "oops" section and found exactly the color I wanted. It was only .50 cents! 
• Chalk

Step 1: Since the chalk paint is darker than the paint I used for the border, I painted the board first. I used the entire can of pain on the board. Since it is cork it soaked up the paint pretty quickly. Your board should feel smooth when you are finished. If you can still feel the grains of the board when it dries, then you need another coat. Leave the board to dry overnight.

Step 2: Take apart the clothes pins, so they are completely apart and you can either save or toss the metal piece that holds them together. 

Step 3: Hot glue the clothespins onto the borders of the board. I put two clothespins side by side for my border, as shown: Let the glue dry for about an hour.

Step 4: Now comes the paint color of your choice, I chose a pale blue for my color (I mixed the color I bought with a color I already had). Then paint away!

(Optional) Step 5: After the paint dries on the clothes pins, I roughed it up a bit with some low grade sandpaper because I love the aged look! 

Here you have your very own, homemade chalkboard!

Hope you enjoy this simple DIY, it's a great weekend project! Have a wonderful Sunday lovelies :)