Last weekend was full of joyful detours—chores and housecleaning gave way to a quick trip to the farmer’s market that somehow turned into a few hours at the Dinosaur Gardens. Perfect fodder for a writing and inspiration prompt, don’t you think?
Those unexpected turns have a way of lingering, their joy carrying over into the week. And now here we are—today is a dreary Tuesday evening, but sometimes dreariness is a blessing, especially when it comes with much-needed rain. Maybe it will revive the struggling vegetables in the garden.
If you’ve been in a rough submissions patch, our latest newsletter featured 80+ opportunities, plus new lit mag issues and book reviews. And if you’ve been in a dry patch creatively, let this be your metaphorical rain to quench those budding ideas.
✍️ Inspiration Prompt: The Joyful Detour
Not everyone maps out their life or schedules every moment, but most of us make To Do lists—those small intentions to get things done. Even with the best of intentions, life often gets in the way.
It’s easy to focus on what didn’t get done—but what if we looked at the upside instead?
Maybe your weekend of chores was interrupted by an unexpected bounty of fresh produce that needed preserving. Or a quick trip to the farmer’s market turned into a spontaneous dinosaur dig and rock-hunting adventure. Or perhaps a friend you haven’t heard from in years calls you out of the blue, interrupting your writing time.
These welcome interruptions might derail your plans, but the joy and memories they bring often make the delay worthwhile—don’t they?
Your turn: Dig into your memory. Write a poem, essay, or story—or create a collage, comic, or artwork—that captures a moment when your best intentions were lovingly overruled by something unexpected, something you didn’t know you needed.
What did the unexpected moment teach you? Did it shift your priorities for only a day, or did it affect long-term change in your life?
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