Remember Grandpa!

© by Shery Ma Belle Arrieta 

I caught the writing bug when I was ten, when I joined an essay writing contest. The topic was: "Where did you spend summer and what did you do?"

I wrote about the summer I spent with my grandparents. I described how grandpa taught me to climb trees, and how soon after that, I discovered how scary it was to climb down from a branch ten feet above the ground. I described how my grandma brewed strong coffee, and how the aroma drifted and lingered throughout their little hut every morning. I described the long walks and spontaneous swims in the rivers I took with my aunts and uncles.

It was a simple topic, but it had a tremendous impact on my life. I knew writing was what I wanted to do.

And now, nearly 17 years later, I can still hear grandpa's laughter, still smell grandma's coffee, still shiver at the memory of how cold those rivers were. Their little hut is forever etched in my memory.

I grew up; now I'm a writer. And whenever I'm stuck and ideas seem to run out, I remember that summer. My grandparents may be gone but they left me with memories I can draw inspiration from. They left me a place I can go back to in my mind -- their home. In a way, they never really left.

And that's enough to make the words come out again. I re-discover the wonder of writing each time I remember where I was the summer before I turned ten.

That's the way writing is.  You can go back in your mind and make memories come alive.  Your cousins, aunts, uncles, parents, friends and grandparents can be brought to life so vividly that your family will cherish them forever.  Forever?  Yes.

Phaedo's old man Socrates still struggles to dispense his last words of wisdom before the poison lays him last to sleep; he lives on every time someone picks up The Dialogues.  

Ajax still slashes his sword every time the Iliad is read again.

Ivanhoe rides his gallant steed to Rebecca's rescue a thousand times a year even yet. 

Pioneers come across the prairie in their handcarts once more every time western immigration history is read.

Is your life worth writing about?  Yes.  There isn't a man, woman, or child who isn't worth writing about. Something you do every day of your life is worth writing about.  All it takes is sparing the time to sit down and ponder the wonders of your day.  You live in the most exciting times this world has ever been through.  Miracles are all around you.  New miracles are appearing for the first time every day.  You life is a miracle.  The community you live in is a miracle.  

Using the same simple tools of genius Einstein used, a pencil and paper, you can create a miracle of your own, the story of your thoughts, your ambitions, your triumphs, and the setbacks that can shatter mere dreamers while your dreams go dancing on.

All you need to do is begin.  Start, and let your heart do the finishing.

If you ever do feel yourself running out of words to write, try writing where you are. Stop thinking, worrying, doubting. Simply lean back, close your eyes and take yourself back to that one place that gives you peace. Then for 3-5 minutes, simply write about that place, and how it makes you feel.

Here are 5 prompts to get you started:

1. Where do you go when you want to get away from the pressures of life, family, work, etc?  

2. In 150 words or less, describe the place where you are right now.  

3. Where were you last summer/winter?

4. Which room in your house do you spend most of your time?

5. In 400 words or less, create your ideal place.

(c) 2003 Shery Ma Belle Arrieta

Shery is the creator of WriteSparks! - a software program that generates over 100,000 Story Sparkers for Writers and journalists. You can download WriteSparks! Lite for FREE from - http://writesparks.com  

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