by Nancy Casey
Do you know the tale of Rumpelstiltskin? It’s the one where the heroine is locked up in a barn and, under pain of death, must spin a pile of straw into gold overnight. Rumpelstiltskin appears and does it for her while she sleeps. There are a few plot twists and some scary consequences for accepting this gift, but ignore those for the moment and ask yourself this question:
If Rumpelstiltskin popped into my life some evening, what miracles would I want him to accomplish by morning?
Do you have a pile of straw that you wish could be turned into gold?
Consider all those onerous tasks that you procrastinate.
Perhaps you dream of a big change in your life or circumstances that feels impossible right now. Or ever.
Maybe you want something that others would call frivolous and unnecessary. Rumpelstiltskin doesn’t judge–ask away!
You aren’t limited to asking for yourself. Maybe you would like to orchestrate something new for someone that you know.
You can even look to the big wide world and invite the Rumpelstiltskin character to alter it in some way.
Let your daydreaming mind wander and see if it can find changes that you dream about even though they feel impossible from where you are now. What magic and miracles would you have Rumpelstiltskin perform for you?
Unfortunately, Rumpelstiltskin also extracts huge payments for his services. You can ignore that part of the story for now. Even if Rumpelstiltskin were real, he can’t make you pay for giving him a list! What would you have him do for you?
Daydream about these things as you set up your page. Draw a line at the top of the page where the title will go. Set aside some space for illustration. Or make a frame around the edges of the whole page and you can fill with decoration.
Wander through your favorite dreams. Imagine a scenario where, before you go to sleep tonight, Rumpelstiltskin will appear and offer to do everything on your list while you sleep. What will you find in the morning?
When you have finished the page, read over what you have written. Illustrate your work if you haven’t already. Think up a title that ties everything together.
Write your title at the top of the page. Write the date on the page too, along with a signature or your initials.
Here is an example of what someone could write.
You can share your work by posting it as a comment below. You can type it in, or take a photo of it and upload the image.
Nancy Casey has lived in Latah County for many years. You can find more of her work here. In-person Write-For-You classes could be returning to the Recovery Center before too long—but not yet! If you would like some help with your writing, or just some encouragement, contact Nancy or the Latah Recovery Center.
Latah Recovery Community Center, Inc. 