FMF — Testimony

A five minute writing prompt every Friday

Kate hosts the challenge every Friday at fiveminutefriday.com by providing a word to use as a springboard. Set the timer for 5 minutes and write — let go and see what happens.

Testimony is a word that makes me uncomfortable. It reminds me of time I have spent in court that I would rather forget. I have been smacked with the lesson that I must go through pain and I am not allowed around it over the last couple of months.

On this day last year I was in a courtroom and moving into a new house on the same day. I would NOT give testimony to recommend that action to anyone.

My writing helps me work through pain and feel emotions rather than suppress it. I also learned that I need to protect myself from the energies of others because I can so easily be drained. Yesterday a new trusted friend gave me a suggestion as to how.

I also think of testimony as being an endorsement. I could write testimony for reading all day long. It has changed the trajectory of my life. My Bradbury Trio of reading an essay, a poem, and a short story every day has shaped and improved my writing craft over the last year. Reading is an escape for me. It is input. It covers a lot in my life.

I could give testimony for individual books and why I think you should read them as well. I…