“To gain your own voice, you have to forget about having it heard.” —Allen Ginsberg {click to tweet}
This is where a brave and beautiful bunch gather every week to find out what comes out when we all spend five minutes writing on the same topic and then sharing ’em over here.
How to Join:
Want to know how Five Minute Friday got started and how to participate? All the details are here.
Featured Five Minute Friday:
And every week I’ll pick a post that caught my eye and share it down there in my side bar – see where it says “Featured #FiveMinuteFriday”? Yea -that could be you! Hop on over and visit some folk who make fireworks in just five minutes. They inspire me.
Meet the #FMFParty Writers:
And did you know there’s a whole community of writers that connect online before the prompt goes live on Friday nights? They use the Twitter hashtag #FMFParty and are about the most encouraging group around.
Special Mention:
So one of my favorite things is to see the trail of encouraging comments you all leave for each other. And sometimes someone goes above and beyond the usual standard of awesome. Last week that someone was Denise, who was also celebrating her 28th wedding anniversary. A fellow FMF writer sent me this email: “everywhere I look someone else is ALWAYS leaving encouraging comments, and I know there are many times where I don’t get a lot of comments but Denise is ALWAYS commenting and always just being amazing. She is everywhere!”
So let’s all pop over to Denise’s place today and wish her a belated 28th anniversary and a round of thanks for being such a great encourager. Whoot! Three cheers for Denise!
Now, set your timer, clear your head, for five minutes of free writing without worrying about getting it right.
1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community..
OK, are you ready? Please give us your best five minutes on:::
Here…
GO
I drive. I drive and listen to the music and part of me is tempted to pull over under the cherry blossoms and just let a pink snowfall cover my day. I grew up under purple trees that blossom every October in South Africa. There is a homesick hole in my minivan this week as a seven-year-old asks me over and over again how to say “home” or “friend” or “dog” in Afrikaans. I don’t know what the word is for “homesick”; I do know what it is for “longing.”
I wake up at 2am and Pete is at the kitchen table. He’s been gone 3 days and he’s back sitting in his boxers and catching up on email. Jackson and I stumble toward him out of a bad dream and he’s so solid, so real. He smells of old spice body wash. There isn’t time to catch up until much later. Early morning and all afternoon the kids are so caught up in catching up with him. We try to talk over three voices and hamburgers on the stove but we give up and it’s not till around ten that we can try again.
After nearly two decades together he knows more about South Africa than I do. He knows the smells and tastes and accents and population count. He knows the sickness and crime and heart ache. He knows where to buy hot cinnamon sugar pancakes on Saturday mornings. We can sit on a sofa in Virginia that made its way back from the southern hemisphere with us. We are here now but we lived there together.
The baby stirs. The radio is too loud. The boys keep getting back up for water.
The fan spins slowly. And I write these words.
STOP
Thank you :-)
You paint such a vivid picture here. I feel like I’m sitting at your kitchen table, watching the goings on.
Thank you for the kind words, bless you dear.
(with a cup of rooibos tea in hand!)
We must be on the same wave length because last week’s FMF led me to write about BEING HERE just a couple of days ago. God is definitely speaking!
Here’s the post, if you’d like to read it: http://memoirsofalgeisha.com/2013/04/09/t-s-tuesday-be-here/
Love how descriptive your writing is! You really inspire me to be a better writer :) I feel like my writing is a bit too choppy ;) But then, I guess we each have our individual styles and voices, and that is probably something I shouldn’t so carelessly toss aside. Thank you so much for FMF – I love the challenge and the folks I meet each week :)
Aww I ache with you. ((hugs)) and love Lisa-Jo, beautiful post like always!!
Lovely! And this FMF newbie thanks you for a great idea! I loved it!! :)
Heather
40YearWanderer.com
I’m not sure what it’s like to be homesick, I’ve lived here all my life. But I imagine, it feels something like the ‘longing’ I feel for a place I have yet to see and experience. Living in hope of that day when I get to meet my Savior face-to-face… and this ‘longing’ ceases… I will be home. And I will know it.
So glad you are all back together again under one roof…and what a gift that you were both able to live in S. Africa together…blessings, Lisa-Jo:)
This is my first time participating in FMF. I’m nervous! The scene you described sounds…peaceful.
Welcome Darcel! Love meeting new writers around these parts.
Oh my stars – how I love you, my friend! Sorry you are homesick… glad your Old Spicey man is home… and I am so thankful that no matter where your ‘here’ is now… He is there with you! And one day… one day, my friend – I will be too! Whether Here – or there! (Did you see what I just did there?)
Heh
I know the homesickness so well–for people and for places, and even more so for the memories we make with them. It helps to hold on to the solid ones sitting around our kitchen table.
This is my third week joining in with FMF and every week I love coming and reading your posts. You have such a vivid way of writing I can almost picture myself sitting opposite you as you talk.
Beautiful “We are here now but we lived there together.” So many memories.
It’s hard not to hold tight to the beginnings of our journey – isn’t it? I still dream about being “home” in Texas, and yet I have been in Michigan for nearly 13 years. The sound of mariachi and the smell of Mountain Laurels is just as vivid today as it was all those years ago. And yet, I know it will never be the same if I go back now. My life is here, with my husband and my children. Thanks for sharing such an intimate part of yourself this morning. Great post.
This was my first time doing this and I enjoyed it! Nice community.
Hey there Lynne – welcome!
Denise is such a blessing. You are so right- she is everywhere! I thank God for her faithfulness and pray He keep her and be her comfort. She is a sweet, faithful presence in the blogosphere ! I have thought at times, no one is going to even see this post…BUT then there is Denise with a little word of encouragement like God’s own still, small voice reminding me, “Child, I see you”. God bless our sweet Denise!
beautiful as always. i feel like i understand your love for South Africa better now. what a beautiful country and a beautiful way of life.
It’s always a gift to see it through someone else’s eyes. Loved following along with you over there. Here’s to 2014! :)
I love that you had there together and here now, still together. Beautiful
Thank you for a picture of your here. It encourages me to be comfortable in my ‘here’ and know that all of us mamas are navigating the same waters here in this world of children and husbands!
How beautiful that you can be up at 2 am and enjoy each other in the still of the morning/night. The picture of your parked under the dogwoods in bloom is a beautiful and vivid one. Your words always take me on a picture journey in my mind that sparks memories of my own moments. And I so enjoy it!
Just. Wow. The pink snowfall, the stumbling out of a bad dream, the hot cinnamon sugar pancakes, the here and there…
My niece recently got back from a trip to South Africa. She loved it.
Can’t wait to see you in person next week! #Whoot
Such a picture of peace and contentment! Loved it!
I loved reading this, I could picture it, and today’s prompt was splendid. :) Thank you.
Oh how I know the feelings of homesickness but so much has changed there I couldn’t go back and expect things to be as they were. It is a sad thought indeed. Many hugs to you and have a fabulous weekend :)
I have been following the FMF posts for several weeks, but until today, couldn’t think of anything to write !! LOL… so today I linked up. Thanks for hosting this every week! I am enjoying it!
Whoot! Welcome!
your writing inspires me – thankyou for being so real. love it.
Oh, I understand. Except for when I was a child, being homesick was somewhat easily mended. When I was a child, I didn’t understand why I couldn’t see my grandmother. She was on the phone, I heard her voice, but couldn’t see her. I dreamed of all kinds of ways to get to her but being that we were in Hawaii and she in Central Texas … bridges and trains didn’t cut it. That’s what your post reminds me of – a depth of missing. I hope you can go home soon for a visit. Maye more?
Hugs, Jenn
I really appreciate your honesty when you share in this space. Your words are honey to a tired mama’s soul. I can so identify with longing for a place and time, and also with trying to connect over the heads and voices of those blessings we call our kids.
Happy Weekend to you.
I was just wondering, are you able to leave a comment on link #213 Hayley James’ post? I’ve tried several times and get a “call back error” . Tried email too, but get a “form not found error”. Thanks. Jenn
Thanks for trying, Jenn. Don’t sweat it if it doesn’t seem to go through. No worries.
I remember living in Germany and feeling like I had a leg in each continent.
Beautifully written post.
Laura Hedgecock
http://www.TreasureChestofMemories.com
http://www.Twitter.com/LauraLHedgecock
This is so beautifully haunting. It’s fascinating to me how much our hearts can ache for places we have lived, loved… they linger. And so will your words.
Perfect picture painted. I could see everything. http://bellesbazaar-heather.blogspot.com/2014/03/here-5-minute-prompt.html