Post #126 – Women’s Memoirs, Writing Prompt – Kendra Bonnett and Matilda Butler
Storytelling Through Rainbows
“Look over there. No. More to the left.”
It had been a month of rainbows in Hawaii, Corvallis, and now on the drive to Portland. Rainbows are an unexpected treat. A delight. They are tethered in my mind to finding a pot of gold. About a week ago, we saw a beautiful, almost perfect rainbow in Corvallis. Both ends were visible where they touched the ground. We thought we might park the car, walk across the open field, and look for the gold.
Of course, we didn’t. But there is always something magical about a rainbow. I could easily check Wikipedia for the scientific explanation. I know it is caused by some balance of moisture in the air, sun angle and sun direction. But that’s not the point of today’s writing prompt.
Rainbows suddenly appear. Disappear. Beauty followed by a simple blue sky. Or, beauty followed by a gray or threatening sky. Where do you focus? Do you hold the image of the rainbow? Do you worry about a possible storm coming, even worry about the just passed storm? There is no correct answer. But there is your valid, personal response.
Memoir Writing Prompt
1. A WRITING PROMPT FOR FUN: Recall the last time you spied a rainbow. Where were you? Describe the place. Who was with you? Describe the other person or people. Did seeing the rainbow change you mood? Write for 10 minutes.
2. A WRITING PROMPT TO DIG DEEPER: Consider how you approach life. Do you take small nuggets of joy and beauty and treat them as if you really found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? Are you instead a worrier. too concerned about storms in your life to take time to relish the moments of peace and beauty? There are so many personalities. So many ways of coping with life. Think about just the two people-types described here. Which one better describes you? Write for ten minutes on this topic. See if it helps you find a way to write about yourself in a new light. Don’t rush. There is always time to dig deeper. Try to remember a specific scene. How did you interpret the events?
