WRITING CHALLENGES | KTHT PROMPTS
When Values and Traditions Change
KTHT Challenge Prompt May 18
My mom has been having some health issues of late and decisions I have made in the past year have come into play. One issue before I decided to move was that where I was I would be able to go up to my mom’s with my car in about eight hours. I can still go up but I would have to fly and wouldn’t have a car unless I rented one. Renting a car so you can spend the day with your mom in her house doesn’t seem practical. That being said it caused me to ponder on values and traditions we develop.
In my mid-twenties I got my first teaching job. I grew up in the Buffalo, New York part of the United States. The teaching job I was hired at was in another state, Virginia. At the time it was a little over a nine hour drive to get back to my family home. I was on my own and make some very close friendships. I made a choice to go back home for holidays and breaks. Most of the new teachers did similar things, especially for holidays. That made it easier to do.
My first holiday back home was Christmas. Christmas was easy because we had at least a week off from work it gave me time to travel, enjoy some time with family and friends, and then drive back to Virginia. This also allowed me to keep friendships and family ties strong as well as having time for my new life in Virginia. The first years I would go for each holiday and even went home during the summer. I even played on the same softball team I had played on when I was living in Buffalo. My parents enjoyed my visits but never pushed it or insisted on it.
The most difficult trip was at Thanksgiving. It was just two days off so I would work and drive on Wednesday, making that an extremely long day with the nine hour drive. Have three days at home and a long drive home in heavy traffic on Sunday. Doing that by myself was hard and though I did it for a number of years it started to take a toll on me.
This was a value system or tradition I made based on my family and friendship values. I created it myself and the pressure and commitment to do it was just on me. I still remember dreading the long drive back to Virginia because that part was always anti-climactic. After a few years my dog or dogs would make the trip with me. Imagine me with one or two fairly large dogs sleeping in a car packed with clothes, dog stuff, and likely gifts of some kind. I never owned a large car either. Sometimes if I got too tired I would take a nap in a rest area. By then I had stopping going back during the summer break. The first value change I did.
Next went Easter break because it was more likely other teachers would stay around for that and it would be a fun time. Finally I had a really stressful drive and stopped going for the short Thanksgiving break. I still go home for Christmas. The reasons for me doing that have changed over the years, but now it is because I go to help my mom. She is 91 and only with my help can see have the extended family over for Christmas. Not everyone comes anymore but usually there are more than 40 people. It is my main Christmas present for her to help her still do that. The point is my values changed, my relationships with family and friends changed.
This week’s challenge is to talk about a value or tradition you had that stopped serving you. What did you do about that? Did you continue to do it because it was expected of you, even if it was you that created the expectation? How did you deal with the fallout if there was any? Are you happy with your decision now that is has been done?
You can get as creative as you wish. Just make sure you keep our publication themes in mind (spirituality, metaphysics, mindfulness, life lessons, self-love/care/awareness, conscious relationships, nature). Keep your writing personal and remember to limit your story to six (6) minutes.
Recommendations
As stated in our previous challenges, the basic recommendations for your stories are as follows:
- Use the prompt to write a poem or personal essay.
- (Tag) Mention at least (3) three of your favorite writers (here at KTHT or elsewhere on Medium) and ask them to participate. Each of those writers will then mention at least (3) three more, and so on.
- You may submit your story to KTHT or to any publication that allows prompts from other publications.
- Regardless of where you submit your piece, You MUST include a link back to this page and (Tag) mention one or all of the KTHT editors — Diana C., jules, Ravyne Hawke, and Spyder
peace be with you
