John Holton is our host for Writer’s Workshop. Here are this week’s prompts:

  1.  Write a post prompted by the word challenge.
  2.  Write a post in exactly 12 sentences.
  3.  Tell us something you learned about in the month of March.
  4.  Do you and/or any members of your family participate in any sports or athletic pursuits in the spring?
  5.  Write about a time you volunteered for something that turned into a disaster.
  6.  Write a letter to yourself fifty years ago.

Dear Laura,

You’re but a wee thing about to start kindergarten so I suppose you’ll have to ask someone to read this for you. But you’re smart and resourceful, I believe in you. Hold onto this and read it again when you’re older, it’ll make more sense then.

You’ll have many adventures over your life — some good, some bad, some that make you wonder what the heck is happening. Take it all in, ask for help when you need it, and know that you turn out okay.

In a little bit you’re going to get trapped in an outdoor gated alcove during a school’s open house. You’ll want to panic — it’s okay if you do, that’s pretty normal, just remember to breathe. Mom isn’t going to forget about you and go home, leaving you outside in the dark overnight. Just hold on and wait for someone to come. You’ll be okay.

You’re going to move a lot growing up. Is this fair? Did you choose it? Nope. It’s okay if you don’t want to knock on the neighbors’ doors to find a playmate. It’s okay if you do. It’s okay to feel different ways depending on the day. Everybody gets nervous going to a new place where they have to find all new friends. Happy, sad, anxious, jumpy, excited, embarrassed, nervous…whatever you’re feeling, it’s alright. And you’ll be okay.

There’s going to be hard stuff along the way, stuff that demands you be strong. I won’t lie to you; we’re not gonna ignore that sometimes it sucks pretty bad. It’s alright to be mad or sad or scared or all the feelings. You do turn out to be more than okay, you end up with an amazing life. Remember asking for help is a good thing.

You’re going to be a writer and you’re going to be awesome at it. YAY FOR YOU! (But maybe don’t copy that poem in third grade and pretend it’s yours. It’s okay to write like a third grader, plus you end up feeling pretty bad about it for a long time.)

Making mistakes is okay. I promise the world won’t end if you screw up. If you hurt somebody’s feelings say you’re sorry and do better. If you make a mess help clean it up. If you bang up the bumper of the family car…well, go on and tell your parents, it isn’t the end of the world and it’ll save you the stress of waiting for someone to notice.

Now run off and be a kid. Get dirty, enjoy the sunshine, maybe eat a popsicle if mom lets you. Someday you’ll be old enough to stay out until the streetlights come on and that’s pretty awesome too. You are loved exactly as you are.

Love,

your older, wiser, lived through it all and I’m still out here living life self

badge by Patty