Day Three of 30 Days of Writing: Squall-Apocalypse

This piece was to be creative about the weather, I chose to write a script for a news report.

Squall-apocalypse

Dee Dee: “Reporting Live from Center Street in Provo, Alice Ficklin”

Alice Ficklin: “Thanks Dee Dee.  The winter squall storm has hit Central Utah.  Wind gusts were near 60 miles an hour earlier this morning as snow swelled due to lake effect.  Valley floors were covered with two inches while the benches had six to eight inches.  Money may  not buy you happiness,  but snow can bring happiness and isolation.

A two hour delayed start was ordered by The Provo City  School District, which actually gave some parents the opportunity to both drop their kids off on time AND feed them whereas on normal days they have to pick one or the other.  

This reporter feels the district made a good call today, yet the son of this reporter still thinks it should have been a full snow day.  Back to you Tom and Dee Dee.”

Truths from 2023

 This is Day Four of 30 Days of Writing that I participated in during January of this year.  The prompt was entitled: Truths of 2023.  Basically it was about what we learned during the past year: 

Mom and I Summer 2019

Grief comes in waves.  Out,  like the ocean and you go about life like normal.  In, like the family photo at your Cousin’s wedding and you realize it is the first photo without mom in it.  The first trip back home without her there. A blank spot, a lack of warmth, a missing face, an empty chair; silence.And then out again, enjoying time spent with family, us still the same.  Being there for my own kids and working at a job where other Mom’s kids need me…I still need my mom too! And in again, working on my photo journal and finding the last picture I took of her, hugging my kids, thinking it’s just “see you later” again, because she HATED goodbye.  Not knowing it was really goodbye and really the last hugs.  Just like the ocean, grief has its calming and relaxing moments mixed with the raging waters and the high winds of a hurricane.  Balance…will I always be searching for it?  Luckily, storms are temporary and so are the waves of grief.

Writing Again

 Hi.  During January, I was a part of a writing group called " 30 Days of Writing Community for Utah Educators."  Each day I received an email that contained a writing prompt for the day.  

I have deemed this year "The Year of Writing,"(which I alternate with "The Year of Reading") so when I heard about this program I signed up quickly.  I have struggled with motivation to do anything the past year and a few months.  Grief with do that for you, I guess.  So, I find it fitting that I share this post with you all first.  The prompt  was about creativity and where you find the inspiration to be creative.  This is what I wrote:

"Creativity

Buried beneath my cold grief

Or it’s cremated?

I have kinda felt unmotivated to create of late.

Maybe it is grief.  Maybe just laziness.

This week it is sickness.  

But I like the haiku I just wrote above.  I like the whole play of words like bury and cremate.  Both death words and related to my mom’s passing.  I really just have coasted at times through things.  I find myself staring at walls or distracted in other ways.  Words seem to escape me.  Silence ensues.  An existence that is narrowed and pale.  My mojo also buried with her in that little  tiny box within a tiny dug hole.  What did I bury with her?  What died with her?  A little bit of my hope.  A little bit of my drive.   A little bit of my motivation.  A little bit of my voice.  Sometimes I feel like I am just going through motions.  Existing.  The pandemic started this process and her passing pulled the rest of the plug.  Ugh."

Writing regularly surely gives more opportunity for writing gems to be created! Glad I wrote that day and made a nice haiku!

As always feel free to interact with me through comments. What did you think about this writing? Any advice for how to improve it? What is your favorite part? Here is your chance to be a literary critic! :)