October 8, 2021-October is all about challenging yourself as an author to write, explore, and create outside of your comfort zone. Today’s photo challenge will do just that!
Instructions: Using the photo prompt above, take a good long look at the word ASK. What does it mean to you? What is something that you’ve asked for that has yet to come to fruition? If it hasn’t happened yet, will you continue to ask, why or why not? Why does asking scare us so much; is it fear of rejection, or because we don’t believe we deserve it? Is there a scale to asking? Is asking for a pen different than asking for money? Why? Why not? Write down how the word ASK makes you feel and why there is so much baggage attached to one word.
I decided to write a stream of consciousness for this exercise (yes, I do each exercise just like you!) here it is.
Ask.
Before we could speak, we’ve asked.
For nourishment, for connection, for love.
As we grew and developed our voice, our asks changed.
We asked for birthday wishes, sleepovers, a pet, and to stay up just a bit later.
We matured and asked for the car keys, a longer curfew, for our parents not to worry.
Now we ask for the safety of our families, our nation, our collectiveness as humans.
We ask for strength, for wisdom, for patience, and for truth.
We ask why me? Why us? Why now? and Why not?
We ask for just a bit longer, for the departed not to go, we ask them and ourselves to hang on just a while more.
We ask for forgiveness.
We ask for absolution.
We ask for new beginnings and resolutions to old problems.
We never stop asking.
We can’t stop asking.
-LLB