by Nancy Casey
Today you will invent some miracles.
Get started with a clean sheet of paper.
On the first line of the page, write a string of words that name things that are right in front of you in your environment. Don’t write a sentence, just write individual words across the line. You’ll probably have room for seven or eight words. Whatever fits. Everything you write down must be the name of something you can see right now.
Skip some space and write out a second row of words across a new line. This time only write down words for things that come out of your imagination. They can be things you remember, things you make up, or things you know about but haven’t seen. The only words you can’t use are names of things in front of you.
Then choose one word from each of the two lines and write down some kind of a miracle that involves them both.
A miracle is something that you never could expect. Look at the two rows of words and see if you can get two words to jiggle together and surprise you. Do they make bubbles or sparks? Do any two words make you laugh? Maybe you can make a miracle from two words that definitely don’t belong together.
Some miracles are short and sweet. You say what they are and go on to the next one.
Other miracles are elaborate, like magnificent cartoons. Superpowers are available. Gravity isn’t a bother. Time can run backwards. You can add extra things to your miracle. Marshmallows? Emojis? Dancing? What would make you clap with delight? Miracles are miraculous, after all.
Fill up the page with miracles. Each time you hesitate or don’t know what to add, pick two new words, one from each row at the top of the page. Use those two words to add new parts to a big miracle. Or use them to start up a brand new miracle.
Keep the miracles coming until the page is full. When in doubt, make them more miraculous.
When you have finished, give your work a title. Make sure the date is on it somewhere, too. Add decoration and color to the page as needed. Here is an example of what a person could write.
You can share what you have written by posting it as a comment below. You can enter a comment by typing or pasting text. Or you can take a picture of your page and post that.
Nancy Casey has lived in Latah County for many years. She has taught writing classes at the Recovery Center and will return again in the spring of 2018. You can find more of her work here. If you would like her help with a writing project, large or small, email latahrecoverycenter@gmail.com for more information.
Latah Recovery Community Center, Inc. 