This week’s writing prompt is:
FEELING PROUD
What have you done in your life that’s made you feel proud of yourself? Done well at school, get a dream job, perform a small act of kindness to another that’s made a huge difference to them, become a parent, survived an illness against the odds? Perhaps it’s someone else you feel proud of – a sibling, son or daughter, parent or friend.
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 DILEMMA:
Dilemma? Shall I stay or go?
Balance up the positives and negatives?
They balance out precisely!
Canvass friends and family?
Some say yes, some say go.
How do I feel?
Pleased and alarmed in equal measure!
How to decide?
Flip a coin!
Cooking?
I have a dilemma, found it’s not wise
Relying on old tired eyes
The recipe called for only one dash
After eating, I now have a rash
The peppers too hot
And so I got
Welts on my face
And look a disgrace
The dilemma is this
I hate to admit
I read it wrong
It’s a weary song
I need a cook
Cause I can’t read the book
Properly when making a meal
Cooking has lost its appeal
As time passes
I need new glasses
Or a live in chef!
Nicola Daly:
Today’s dilemma:
To prologue, or not to prologue?
That is the question.
(A very sticky question)
One of my biggest dilemmas was when I was a teenager in high school and had to choose between pursuing my education and trying for a scholarship or getting married and starting a family.
The biggest problem was that I had the intelligence to go forward and do whatever I wanted, but I couldn’t decide, and I didn’t want to be the number one student, become the valedictorian, and make a speech.
I was already sought after by the “cool” kids to let them copy my homework and do their research papers, but that is not what I wanted, so I chose to go with a lower grade and stay out of the limelight. I got straight A’s without studying. I did not doubt that if I put my mind to it and studied, I could go on and be the valedictorian.
I got married, and then 25 years later, I got divorced. I went to a technical school and studied computer programming with web design. I got the highest score and a 4.0 GPA. I also had the highest entrance exam score after the initial difficulty with that exam.
Another dilemma was whether to create a company with my daughter, also one of the highest-scoring students with a 4.0 GPA, or stay in my job and work on databases and the IT Department. I was happier updating the databases for my job. We did create a few websites, but neither of us was truly happy with that part of our education. She was a graphic designer. We had the knowledge and techniques to create websites but weren’t really into it. We made the best choices for each of us. We didn’t want to design websites once we dove into doing them. We could do it, but didn’t want to.
Fateful Day
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
Creating a dilemma for the traveller
Which path should she take?
The one she’d planned for five years
Or the other where she could only see
To where it bent in the undergrowth
Who knew what hidden opportunities lay
Along that lessor travelled and secret way
Resolutely, she turned her back
On the well laid plans she’d made
In her secret heart she knew that
A lack of imagination and adventure
Would never empower her to reach
Her full potential and fulfil her dreams
She followed the siren call of the new
The track was not a straightforward one
But each twist and turn presented her
With a different and exciting chance
To develop a new and unknown skill
She discovered hidden talents
Made extraordinary acquaintances
Which led her on and on further along
That intriguing and wonky road
She found balance and happiness
Things she may never have know
Had she followed the straighter path
On that fateful and life changing day
My dilemma goes back to over fifty years ago, and if I’d made a different decision back then, my life would very different now.
Before I met my husband, I’d had a few boyfriends, but nothing serious; after a few weeks I would start to get bored, I suppose they’re weren’t the right one for me. The only fella that ever dumped me was my first love, and he broke my heart.
But back to my husband; we’d got to that ‘few weeks’ stage, and as per usual, I was getting bored.
Did I really like him that much, did I want to spend the rest of my life with him? These were the questions going round in my head.
My dilemma was the fact that my 18th birthday was coming up, with a big party planned. I knew he had bought me an expensive piece of jewellery.
So…… Do I a) chuck him beforehand and possibly ruin my party, or b) have the party, accept his present, saying thank you and goodbye?
I didn’t want to do the latter, I couldn’t have done that to him.
I decided to do nothing, to just see how things went. We jogged along for a while, and somewhere down the life my feelings changed, and here still are, coming up to our 50th wedding anniversary.
So, sometimes, doing nothing is the best option.
And yes, I did make the right decision in the end.
My husband doesn’t know any of this!
***
Esther Chilton 
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