Five Minute Friday - Begin

Kind of a monumental moment here at Five Minute Friday. The passing of the torch. The last time she writes for us (at least as a host in this venue). After four years of weekly prompts, Twitter parties, and writing flash mobs, Lisa-Jo Baker makes the handoff to the beautiful, capable hand of Kate Motaung. It’s a milestone. But a good one. And as always …

On Fridays a bunch of brave writers gather here to all spend five collective minutes writing on a single prompt. It’s a great way to catch your breath at the end of a long week. This blessed, beautiful place where we open our hearts and let words and tears and the inner workings of our lives bleed and flow and dance across the virtual pages. Yes, this community opens wide and invites you in to share. Come and visit and read. You will be blessed.

This week: Begin 

Go 

My eyes fly open in the semi-darkness these days. Shaking me out of dreams I don’t want to leave. Squinting into the half-light; wishing I could just roll over and make it go away. But I stumble out from beneath the sheets; quietly make my way out the bedroom door and down the hall to a shower that will hopefully do more to wake me than the alarm did.

It’s summer, so the sun warms me sooner than it will do in a few months. Routine kicks in and before long, I’m moving smoothly to the strains of Bach, Vivaldi, Schubert, or whatever else the conductors at KING FM have ready for me. If I’m lucky, my husband might rise early and help me with breakfast.

There might be bacon.

But even if there’s no bacon, there is still an unfolding day in front of me. A new chance to start it over again. A new chance to build. A new opportunity to do it better. A new chance to begin.

And this is a lesson that has been a long time coming for me. Me, who holds on and clings to all the things. Boxing and cataloging soap, stickers, notebooks, feelings, frustrations, broken dreams.

I cling tightly to them – sometimes even desperately – as if the holding equates to security. As if tightly clasped hands can grasp a gift. As if these things that I hold and clutch will be the things that save and define me. Forgetting all the while; that there is no safety and security in things. That clinging closes me; makes me unavailable for the newest, best thing that might be coming. That catching these things so close to my chest means that I am unable to spread my arms wide to embrace the endless possibilities that lie before me.

So I remind myself again that each day is new beginning. A time for new ideas. A time to be open – to others and their needs and to learn how I can be of service. A time to trust and believe. Handing myself over first and foremost in the quiet moments to God’s grace and mercy and commending myself and those I love to His care; I release the things I hold on to; step out into the new day, and begin again.

Stop


How to Join 
Want to know about how Five Minute Friday got started, and how to participate? All the details are here. No editing or second guessing. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community.

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