When I asked Stephanie, a writer friend, to list ten things she would die for, her initial response was that she could handle it in one of two ways: “the mushy stuff you could get serious about such as dying for family. But I thought to myself that would never happen so I took the other approach…somewhat self-centered and fun and it has some mushy stuff but not much.” The list is reprinted (fresh and wild) with her permission.
* A life size replica of Shaquille O’Neal as a Reese’s Peanut Butter cup
* The ability to fly
* A private jet
* To be invisible
* Umpteen gazillion dollars to end world hunger
* The ability to remove hate from people’s hearts
* To live by the ocean
* Remove memories, dreams, flashbacks and scars (mental and physical) from my childhood
* Hope
* To write a book simple in context but deep in content that provides individuals with comfort and encouragement as they search to fulfill their own present moment. To express that life sucks and hurts but even in those things there is humor and hope. To convey the idea that life isn’t about happiness or wealth but about living life in the way our heart mandates rather than living life in pursuit of things. To live life regardless of the opinion of others and be able to look at yourself with satisfaction each night and know you lived your life as best you could
* A Jeep for every day of the week
Challenge: Make of list of things you would die for–giving yourself permission to be both playful and serious. Notice how the playful list may turn serious and vice versa. Use this writing exercise to remember what truly matters to you. Whether you are mining your imagination for essay material or developing a new character in your novel, this list can lead you to fresh territory.
