Write Your Story

I was not a reader. In 6th grade, I was a member of the Black Bird reading group, where the four of us sat, without teacher support, wasting time. Stay quiet, be anonymous. I hide a transistor radio in my coat pocket, earphone tucked away in my ear.

Expected to read my King James bible. Comics, heaven forbid.

Finally, I know not how. Somehow I obtained a Hardy Boys book, The Tower Treasure, copyright, 1927. Eventually read them all. Next, all the John Steinbeck books. Thomas Hardy. Charles Dickens. Now a “readaholic,” my favorite is historical fiction, next, academic text.

Brown, soft, fuzzy, black button eyes (barely holding on), little pudgy, and very limber. Had this roommate since birth, often reminded by parents. Silent. Never gave me a hard time and never disagreed with me, but not much of a conversationalist. Wherever I went in the country, there it sat on my dresser. Never had a name. Just traveled along state to state, home to home.

Its name, just Teddy Bear.

So, based on my age, it must be well over seventy. Both beat up, wear and tear not always been good to us. Both looking ragged around the edges.

Welcome friends and family, this post is to allow you to publicly share a story in exactly 100-words (not including your title). Every day we leave behind dozens of stories and I for one would like to have the opportunity to know more about you; even from afar. Each week I will provide a new writing prompt. Your story should include a beginning, middle, and end.

Prompt: Share one event in history the year your were born, and its significance.

This is a recent phenomenon. Actually, for most of my life I hated writing and recall having work turned back from teachers covered in red marks and the caption, “redo.” I was convinced I would never be capable of producing even the most basic essay.

Like many other writers, I started to write because I started to read. There were Young Adult (YA) series in Middle School and more complex literature in High School. Moving through college, I realized I needed the ability to write research-based reports and papers. Taking a variety of writing classes, I also attended the Southern Arizona Writing Project (twice), where daily I was expected to write, for two weeks, eight hours a day, and to share my work with peers and presenters, receiving feedback both critical and encouraging.

I began to find authors, i.e., Thomas Hardy, John Steinbeck, Charles Dickens, and other classics. I really…