Esther Chilton

This week’s writing prompt is:

DILEMMA

I’m sure you’ve had more than one dilemma in your life. It might not have been particularly serious – I mean, do you go for the lemon cheesecake or the chocolate brownie? But maybe your dilemma had a greater impact on your life – for example, whether to go out to work or stay in education, to leave a safe job or to take a leap of faith and do something completely different, to go backpacking round Australia or to have a beach holiday. There are so many dilemmas we face in our lives. But yours doesn’t have to be real; you can make your dilemma a fictitious one and create something exciting for a character to decide on.

You don’t have to share your work, but I always enjoy seeing what you come up with if the prompt gives you inspiration. Here is the work you shared on last week’s prompt SURPRISE!:

Ladyleemanila:

Once upon a time, there was a lady who found a letter
She doesn’t know who wrote it, sort of unknown
She was mesmerised by the words in it, the story
The emotion, the feeling that was opening up
Like a present in a box that you open it and
Each layer of paper is a surprise, a delight
Waiting up to be read, to be shared
With someone who needs some
Sort of encouragement or hope
She carried on reading it
She cried, she laughed
She mused about it
Perhaps it’s magic
She needed that
She was happy
To find it
Unknown

I’ve only included one of the fabulous pieces Ladyleemanila has written on the theme of surprise. Head over to her blog for some more super pieces: https://ladyleemanilablog.wordpress.com/2024/09/18/writing-prompts-surprise/

Roberta Writes:

Opening new doors, and a surprise

There is change. There is change. Change there is.

You don’t like change. You don’t like change. Change you dislike.

***

Do you see change as opening new doors?

***

No, you do not like change.

You do not see change as an opportunity.

***

Could you see change as being good?

***

You do not see change as being good.

You do not see any good in change.

You do not like change in any way.

Change you dislike, although change there is.

***

Could change you ever grow to love?

If it didn’t hit you over the head like a club?

***

Change you will never grow to love.

Even if it comes lightly and not as a club.

You do not like change in any way.

Change you dislike, although change there is.

You do not see change as an opportunity.

No, you do not like change.

***

Could you ever change embrace?

Is it possible you could do an about face?

***

Never will you change embrace.

Never will you do an about face.

Never could you change love.

Never see it as ought but a club.

You will not like change in any way.

You do not see change as an opportunity.

Change you dislike, although there is change.

***

Would you? Could you learn to understand?

Could change ever your mind expand?

***

You would not, could not understand.

***

I say give it a chance, it may be good.

Give it a try, you know you should.

***

You would not, could not try something new.

Not even a simple change, like a new hairdo.

Or a bigger room with a better view.

***

Could you, would you give change a go?

***

You could not, would not give change a go.

***

Would you? Could you learn to understand?

***

You could not, would not learn to understand.

You will not, will not, give change a go.

You will not try to make new friends

You won’t give it a try, ‘though you know you should.

You won’t understand, won’t give it a chance.

You don’t want change to embrace.

You don’t want to do an about face.

Never could you change love.

Never see it as ought but a club.

You will not like change in any way.

You do not see change as an opportunity.

Change you dislike, although there is change.

You do not like change. So you declare.

With your old ways, change does not compare.

***

Try the change, you may get a pleasant surprise.

What! You’ll give it a chance. Say it may be good.

You’ll give it a chance as you know you should.

(… And she tries change…)

You do like change. I can see your smile.

You do like change, as I knew you would.

You’re going to try out a new hairdo.

You’ll have a go at the room with the view.

You’ll try to make a new set of friends.

You’ll give away your unnecessary odds and ends.

You’ll see change as an opportunity.

Change is good. Change is good. Now you see.

Change you have learned to embrace.

Now you’ve done an abrupt about face.

Change you’ve learned to understand.

Your finally letting change your mind expand.

You’ve learned to give change a go.

Although your path to acceptance was slow.

The change has done you so much good.

The change has given you a pleasant surprise.

Hooray! Hooray! Change is very good.

Kim Smyth:

My birthday was coming up and my husband with his brother and girlfriend took me out to dinner at Baja’s, which was known for their very strong Margaritas. Anyway, I thought it was very nice to go to dinner for my birthday and figured that was it.

The plan changed when they refused me a second Margarita, saying we had somewhere else to go, so I shouldn’t get smashed. I don’t remember why they said we were going to my best friend’s house, but imagine my shock when he opened the door to SURPRISE!! ALL of my friends and family were there, some even from out of town, like my childhood bestie! Not only that, but Michelle, my current bestie, had made a video highlighting lots of the good times we’d had since meeting. But the real shock was this. We lived in Southeast Texas at the time, and my husband -who never plans anything- had planned this whole affair with Michelle without me knowing. It was the biggest and best surprise of my life and made me never forget my 50th birthday. There were lots of Over-the-hill gifts and real gifts too, but I was bawling with gratitude through the video, the gifts, and later on, after I got smashed for real. Tequila makes me very emotional

The Bag Lady:

I had a surprise party for my daughter and husband on their 30th wedding anniversary. It was held on the weekend before and they were surprised. All family crowded in my bedroom, laundry room and bathroom, even a two year old was quiet, and when the couple were inside, all came out saying surprise. It was great.

Tessa:

Selling! If there was one thing I hated to do, it was selling for fundraisers. It didn’t matter whether it was for school, marching band, sports, or even Girl Scouts. My brother didn’t care for it either, but that day, we had to sell candy bars for the marching band. My mother insisted we get out there and not return until they were all sold. I didn’t want to hear that. Between us, we had quite a few boxes of candy to sell.

We piled the whole stack of boxes into the wagon since we had so many and decided to go together for comfort if possible. We tried to get traction as we made the descent from the garage door opening and down the driveway to the front of the house. Because of the wheels, the wagon wanted to move faster, and we tried to keep all the boxes from falling out on the way down the driveway. 

As we got out front, we noticed the bird alight on the tree branch near us and started to jeer at the cat, Mittens, sitting beside us. Mittens would follow us part of the way. The bird was always trying to annoy the cat whenever it was outside. We saw it all the time. It would even dive-bomb her. It was the Blue Jays that did this.

We started and were surprised at how well they were selling. As they continued to sell, we headed to the other side of town. It would be dark in about an hour so we had to pay attention since we were further from home now. 

My brother told me he had to go to the bathroom, and we needed to go home. Usually, I am the one who says this, but I didn’t have to go, and we were almost out of candy, so I wanted to keep going. Mom did tell us to sell it all if possible. He became more insistent, and finally, I relented because I knew how it felt to have to go bad and not be able to. We headed for home.

When we arrived home, he rushed to get inside. I took my time putting the candy away, returned, and headed inside myself. I was very thirsty by this time, so I rushed through the dining room to the kitchen and the refrigerator. The house was unusually quiet. I finished my drink and put it down, finally noticing the dark dining room I had just rushed through. What the heck, I thought.

I headed to the dining room door, and the lights came on as everyone screamed, “Surprise!” I was shocked. Since we never had birthday parties, it was the last thing I expected. It was my Sweet 16 Birthday. They had surprised me. The ruse to get us away to set up, was for my brother to keep us out selling candy until a certain time. That was why he finally told me he had to go to the bathroom since we would be late otherwise. He figured I would feel sorry for him and agree to come home.

I was surprised to see all my friends from school and Girl Scouts. It was a pleasant surprise, after all.

Christine Mallaband-Brown:

One night I dreamt that I would meet some friends on a road nearby, but since they lived 40 miles away and only cycled that seemed unlikely. I also remembered the dream was on a wet day. Things seemed very clear. But as usual I couldn’t remember the details when I woke up. Then a few days later we decided to ride out and meet some other friends on their farm. It was an overcast day as we started out on our 5 mile ride to visit them. But SURPRISE! In the distance we saw our friends cycling towards us. They must have had the same idea. But they were with some others. It started to rain and as the friends drew closer I realised they were with the people I’d dreamt of! Then we all took shelter under cover of a bus stop. Thunder rumbled and lightening flashing! I realised it was my dream!

***