You stand there, unsure of yourself but trying not to let it show. You discretely rub your thumb and forefinger on your blue stone bracelet, bead by bead. As your fingers move, your arm muscles contract and relax almost imperceptibly. “There’s no reason to be as nervous as a cat,” you coach yourself, preparing for what is to come. The worst part isn’t what you know will happen but what you can’t imagine will happen, what you can’t begin to wrap your mind around. And so it builds, making you want to vomit. Once more you straighten your dress, your chest, your posture and you look confidently in the mirror. “I hope it shows,” you wish. The dog begins to bark and you rush to the door, taking a quick peek through the blinds. It’s her, your perfectly polished partner in crime. “Why, oh why do you always work yourself up like this?”, she asks.
The smell of saffron rice fills the room. Thank God it makes this feel like home. Maybe it won’t be so bad after all, this new adventure. The rush of joy, the fire of exhalation pushes your nerves aside and you take your seat.
Sometimes I find myself in a writing rut, the words feeling stale and regurgitated. It is then that I usually turn to a writing prompt to push me out of my comfort zone. This is one of my favorite go-to prompts that I first started using back in 2010.
