Week 5 Writing Prompts, part 2

2. Time Travel: Describe yourself at eighty. What did you do after fifty that you enjoyed? Be very specific. Now write a letter from you at eighty to you at your current age. What would you tell yourself? What interests would you urge yourself to pursue? What dreams would you encourage?
       At 80, I'll probably live alone in a small house or apartment. I'll volunteer at the local library and the local NPR station. I'll have joined a choir again. I'll have a close knit group of older women that I will try to convince to go traveling with me all the time. Maybe I'll have some sort of skill that I can teach to children in an after school program. Maybe a children's choir. Maybe very low budget theater. Maybe knitting. Maybe something I haven't learned how to do yet! I will probably be one of many little old ladies in my town who have taken to dying their hair bright, outrageous colors. Maybe we'll have hair dying parties like we did in college.
     My favorite thing about being 50 was all the time I got to spend with my husband. We both retired and spent our summers driving all over the U.S.  and our winters either with our daughter or in Europe. I finally took that dance class with him that he promised before we were married. We did everything hand in hand just as we always have. Life was such a wonderful adventure.

Dear 28-year-old me,
Stop worrying. It's okay that you don't know what to do with your life. You're so young and you have so much of your life ahead of you. I know you feel like you're stuck between places at the moment, but the adventure is just about to begin. Be patient with yourself and your husband. You will find your path and it will be glorious. Keep your head up, keep writing, and don't resist trying something for fear of looking silly. Just as in all things on life, 50% of success is just showing up. Keep moving and stretching. Yoga will keep your body strong and your creative work will keep your brain sharp. Don't be afraid to try new things and meet new people. Say YES!

Love,
Future You

3. Time Travel: Remember yourself at eight. What did you like to do? What were your favorite things? Now write a letter from you at eight to you at your current age. What would you tell yourself?
Let's see, age eight. That would be second or third grade. Second grade was one of my favorite grades in elementary school. I had Mrs. Boyd and she was an amazing older lady. She had been teaching for a long time and she knew how to ignite fascination in her students. That year, I loved reading for the first time. Sure, I had always loved books but my first grade teacher had made me feel like reading was hard, frustrating work. That year I got in trouble for reading when I should have been doing other work. That is a passion that has remained inside of me my entire life. That year Mrs. Boyd also got me interested in impressionist art. I became fascinated with Van Gogh and Monet and the dream of traveling to France to visit Monet's garden was first planted in my brain. I was very small for my age but I enjoyed playing outside with my friends and riding my bike around the neighborhood. My best friend was Jennifer Car and I had a crush on Gary.

Dear 28-year-old me,
Wow, you're old! You're like a grownup! What made you decide to move so far away? I bet mom and dad miss you. Why haven't you seen Monet's garden yet? Isn't that your biggest goal still? You sure have done a lot of neat things in your life! I am surprised by the way you turned out but I am happy. It doesn't matter what you do with your life as long as you are true to yourself and you are happy. Be your own person and keep exploring. What good books do I have to look forward to? When are you going to France? You should go now! Oh, maybe not NOW now but as soon as the state of emergency is over.

Love,
Tiny You

4. Environment: Look at your house. Is there any room that you could make into a secret, private space for yourself? Convert the tv room? Buy a screen or hang a sheet and cordon off a section of some other room? This is your dream area. It should be decorated for fun and not as an office. 
 With a whole lot of work and dedication, I could convert the basement into a secret hidey hole though that isn't my favorite environment. It's cold and damp down there and you can't really see outside. I've somewhat taken over the kitchen table as my own personal domain. It's a great spot with space for me to spread out. The kitchen gets really magnificent lighting and I can see a good chunk of my neighborhood. The kitchen is also the home to all the delicious foods and my tea kettle. My kitchen table is one of the places I feel most comfortable in my house currently. I am looking forward to when we buy a new home in the next year or so. I am looking forward to hopefully laying claim to a room to turn into an actual office since what was our office, is now the Mess Room.

5. Write your own artist's prayer.
Oh Brain, dear Brain,
Please do not forsake me.
You and I both know that you are capable of writing today if only you were more willing.
The world can be a dark and chilly place but please take all that hurt and make it something beautiful.
We do not have many gifts to give the world but we only need one.
Put pen to paper and use the laptop for more than internet browsing.
Bring light to the darkness of our heart.
Let us write.
Let us begin.

6. An extended artist's date: Plan a small vacation for yourself.
I would like to take 8-year-old me's advise and make my way to France so I can eat delicious foods and spend at least a full day in Monet's garden. I can start preparing for this trip by starting to tuck away money once I'm done with holiday shopping. I would like to get to France before we have a baby.

7.  Look at one situation in your life that you feel you should change but haven't yet. What is the payoff from staying stuck?
I know I need to start a regular cardio workout routine and I just haven't. I keep planning to stay after my yoga class and do a little bit of time on the treadmill or eliptical but I haven't done it yet. After yoga, it is so easy to just go home and watch tv and have a snack. I need to convince my brain that it can still watch tv and have a snack after some cardio.