I recently attended a Playing With Words writing workshop at the 老澳门六合彩开奖记录资料 library by local author and writing coach Linda Simpson where she gave us the word prompt of ‘time.’
It triggered memories of my time in Key West, Florida.
I did the usual tourist things: cruised on the glass-bottom boat, savoured key lime pie, had a beer at Sloppy Joe’s bar and was swarmed by a kaleidoscope of fluttering colours at the butterfly museum. I even toured The Hemingway Home & Museum, where he’d lived with his second wife and three sons and a number of six-toed cats. You can see the room where he wrote To Have and Have Not.
But, while staying in a guest house, I got invited to a seminar of fellow writers. Participants were asked to share some of their works in progress.
One fellow presented an interesting tale. The setting was the afterlife, just as someone had passed on. Newcomers were met by angels and given the option to go back and start again, stay in heaven or continue to the next life.
In the story, one soul had been a celebrated actress who claimed a wonderful life, so she was content to move on. Another said, “I want what she had.”
He was given the same attributes and sent back down to earth, but on his return complained about a less stellar experience. He’d been given the same opportunities but lacked her personality and drive.
To me, life is like a game of solitaire. Every move you make affects the future outcome; like when on a ship, even the slightest turn in direction can put one way off course.
It’s how you use the time given — although there are different time zones.
Melody Wales is a 老澳门六合彩开奖记录资料 resident and long-time writer.
