May 12, 2020
Update, Review and Edit:
My usual first of the month post, based on a writing exercise, have sentences that were extremely long and convoluted. Many years ago, author Naomi Wakan was a guest at our writing group. She had us each write a long sentence. Then we were to repeatedly shorten this sentence. The goal? To maintain the original intent, but be more concise. At the time, I did not see its value. Today, with still much to learn, I am very grateful for this lesson.
This entire story, Situationally Theirs, has become a daily writing exercise in word crafting, timelines, relationships…..and the many details of story. I appreciate everyone that reads my posts as well as the comments that I receive.
April 01, 2020
**At the beginning of each month I change my theme and try to depict different nuances of it throughout the month. For April, I move from Challenges, March’s theme to Determination, April’s theme. Determination is something we all need in this very confusing, strange time.
As a writing exercise, I write a partial sentence or stem beginning with each letter of the chosen word. This month I’ve done it just a bit differently by writing a full sentence that follows my story line in Situationally Theirs. I’ve also added more to the story once I've completed the exercise but have more to say.
April Fools - Episode 8
Desperanza was determined to maintain her sanity, worried that she was fast losing touch with reality while in her sister’s home.
Emelina was a bit concerned about her sister, listening to her cry herself to sleep each night, something she had done as a child, tears never seen in the light of day.
Time moved so very slowly, unless the sisters explored their enforced solitude and their sudden reunion.
Even so, Emmie would put her book down and stare off into space, and Dez would hold her paint brush in mid air studying the edge of the canvas.
Rest, once a luxury, for these two single women were confined by pandemic mitigating policies, seemed all that they did anymore.
Music, however could transport them, lift their hearts into its flow, lift their feet off the floor to get them moving and feeling normal again.
Interest in the outside world wavered, as they became engrossed within, yet often one or the other would sit outside as the weather warmed.
Naturally, they did gravitate to this fresh, clean outside world to explore, sit in the sun, tidy the gardens, or run on the gravelled track on Emelina’s grand estate.
As each day passed, Dez realized, or at least thought she did, that purpose on this earth was not to be doing all the time, but just to be.
“There is no doing.”
“ I didn’t hear you, Dez, you said something about ‘there is no doing.’ ?“
“Over and over I look for something that I should be doing, but then I stop and realize that none of that ‘doing’ is unnecessary unless I want to do it, except of course to eat and sleep. “
“Now I understand why you’ve been so upset; it’s the same uncomfortable, restless feeling I’ve had when I look at the calendar seeing only empty squares where Board meetings and Charity activities filled every hour of my day.
~~~~~
“OMG! Listen to us being so mopey and serious. Here’s a plan to do and be something quite unnecessary and silly. And….it will let us know what day it is. I keep losing track - it could be Sunday or Tuesday or any day. Here’s the deal. I draw something in the square on the calendar on one day - I’ve already done it for today - and then the next day you draw or paint something. It can be in colours, black and white, or paints. If there was something written in that was cancelled you get to draw over it. If there really is something scheduled you get to draw over or around it. What d’you think?”
“It sounds like it might be fun.” Fun was something Emelina had almost forgotten in her rounds of meetings and functions. There was always a purpose to everything she did. If there was a purpose to Dez’s crazy idea, it would be just to……….what……have fun?
“So tomorrow is my day to fill the calendar? Can I start tonight?”
“That’s your call. Just as long as it’s ready when I get my cell phone camera out in the morning. What do you want for supper? We’ve got your Cook’s frozen pizza or her frozen meat pies.”
“Mix a little foolishness with your prudence:
It’s good to be silly at the right moment.”
~ Horace
