It’s Friday and, once again, I’m participating in a writing flash mob for two reasons: 1. to get more connected with the larger community of bloggers (aka I don’t wanna feel alone!) and 2. to field a kick in the butt to practice writing regularly and consistently.
The marching orders: Write on the word prompt for 5 minutes flat. No extreme-editing: “Unscripted. Unedited. Real.” The idea is to get past our perfectionism and just. do. it.
Today’s prompt: Focus
Cuticles caked with dirt. Fingers left tender, having been impaled on kudzu barbs. Remnants of today’s work. Waking up it just felt right: a day set aside for taming the jungle. Had it not been on the calendar it would never have happened. Had I not enlisted help, the work certainly would’ve overwhelmed.
Starting in on what’s been left untended for long, hot months seems an incredibly daunting task. One impossible if ventured alone. One made possible with a partner beside.
Snap, snap go the clippers. Large stalks fall at the blades of the lopper. It’s amazing what can happen in just a few short hours. The progress. If only I’ll keep my gaze here: right in front of me. Pull up, root out, cut back and let the light shine in. It’s tempting to dart elsewhere. To this plant or that. To a tree that could use trimming. To a different bed that needs weeding. Focus keeps my eyes straight ahead: the next weed, the next step.
Imagining the end result helps to spur me on. In a spiritual sense, knowing Jesus sees the end result reminds me how little I am, how big he is. If I keep my eyes on him he’ll sharpen my senses, bring clarity to the messiness, bring stillness to my urge to flee.
Ding, ding goes the timer.
Interesting how this ended. Not really planned but it’s a fun exercise to practice and see where the tide takes me. Joining this group and agreeing to stay within the guidelines definitely pushes back against my natural tendency to read, edit, re-read, re-word, rearrange and tie up in a nice, neat bow.
In short, this is good for me.
Thanks for showing up here to read and allow me to improve my craft. Head over to The Gypsy Mama (hostess of these beautiful mobsters) for your own five minutes to read, write, or share a word of encouragement.
But that's enough about me…what about you?
What's your current focus?
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