A Writing Exercise

I sat under the tree on a flat boulder, waiting for the tow truck. Thankfully, the heat that was predicted hadn't arrived, so it was pleasant in the shade.

The dispatcher said the driver was on his way and it would take about 30-40 minutes before he arrived. I pulled out a small notepad from my purse. Just as I began to doodle, I heard a strange noise coming up the road and watched a street sweeper maneuver around my car.

A few minutes later, a fire engine passed by. In a moment of inspiration, I turned to a blank page of my notebook and began writing notes for a short story. Now, this was something new. In the past, my short story ideas have been inspired by the unlabeled quilts that I have photographed. In this instance, the story came first.

By the time the tow truck arrived, I had names for three brothers: Calvin (tow truck driver), Leonard (street sweeper), and Dominic (fire fighter). And I created a full story line that describes how the brothers' paths crossed with the main character, Emily.

Best of all, this unlabeled quilt now has a fictitious short story that I can share with readers one day.

"The universe buries strange jewels deep within us all and then stands back to see if we can find them." ~Elizabeth Gilbert

I find it exciting to keep an open mind to see what unexpected things spark my imagination.

How about you - do you stay open to creative sparks, especially in places you might not expect?

Thank you for stopping by.

XOXOX