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#inspiration

Crafting My Universe: Insights on World and Story Building

Uncategorized / / , ,

It is more about the world within the story—more about the characters, and how you feel an intangible connection with them. You can almost touch and talk to them, even though they are bound to the page.

 

It is more about not knowing than knowing, because the life we write on the page can never truly be planned. Writers are gods to their stories, yet they have no control over where the story will take them. We are both creators and followers, swept along by the tides of the worlds we build. 

 

I guess the point I am coming to is this: writers are the few who can portal-jump. We travel across universes to places that readers can only visit within the boundaries of leather-bound covers. We are not writing from our heads but from our hearts, from memory. We are writing what we are seeing—transcribing the intangible into words that breathe life into the page.Planning does little, for the worlds we create—like the world we live in—cannot be planned. They unfold with a rhythm of their own, unpredictable yet perfect in their chaos. And that is where the magic lies.

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Journey’s Strength: Embrace Life’s Path

Inspiring, Letter from blogger, Motivation / / , , , ,

Forever and ever there is someplace you can fly to. There is a home for you, waiting patiently. All you have to do is find it. There is always a person who is by your side, who will be there when you need a shoulder to cry on. All you have to do is find him/her. Your future is unknown, your past is forgotten, your present is what you want to be. There is a power inside us all. Shining brighter and brighter. All you have to do is activate it. It may take years or maybe just a few days, but in the end, you will find it. You are who you want yourself to be. You can do great things if you wish to. I can’t know your future but all I can say is that sad days will come.  Off days and gloomy ones will happen but all you have to do is be strong, and accept what happened even if it is hard to do so. Know your mistakes and move forward. Tomorrow is a brand new start. I will tell you life is not all puppies and rainbows, even though I wish it was. It is an obstacle course. Sometimes you’ll wobble and other times you will find balance. Sometimes you will fall and get back up. But in the end, we all know that you have achieved a lot.

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Unlikely Heroes

Review, Short stories, YA Mystery/Thriller/Suspense / / , , , , , , , ,

“Y’all were heroes from the beginning. You just didn’t ‘turn’ all of a sudden.” (Hinton, page #107) S. E. Hinton writes in her book The Outsiders. The Outsiders is about a group of teenage boys trying to survive in an environment of class division. Throughout the book, these boys continue to get tested on their morals. This raises the question of whether even a gang of teenage delinquents can be heroes. The simple answer is a hero doesn’t always wear a cape, a hero is someone selfless, has perspective, and is willing to speak out against injustice.

In The Outsiders, Johnny Cade shows heroism by being selfless. After Ponyboy almost gets drowned by Bob for“stealing” his ex-girlfriend. Johnny confesses to killing Bob to protect his friend. Referencing, in chapter 4, Johnny explains to Ponyboy,“‘I had to. They were drowning you, Pony. They might have killed you…’”(Hinton, page #57). This conveys heroism because although Johnny would have to be on the run for most of his life, he still decided to save Ponyboy. Selflessness matters in humanity because it can help connect with people, empathize with their struggles, and contribute to a positive change. In conclusion, Johnny Cade’s selfless act in The Outsiders demonstrates heroism.

In The Outsiders, Cherry Valance expresses heroism by having perspective. After Bob Sheldon’s (her ex-boyfriend) murder, the conflict between the greasers and Socs intensifies. Cherry sees the conflict from both sides. To illustrate, in chapter 6 after Dally tells Johnny and Ponyboy about their new spy Cherry, Dally goes on to say “‘She said she felt that the whole mess was her fault, which it is, and that she’d keep up with what was coming’ off with the Socs in the rumble and would testify that the Socs were drunk and looking for a fight and that you fought back in self-defense.’”(Hinton, page #85/86). This conveys perspective because although Cherry and Bob were once in a relationship she still sees the Greasers´ point of view and understands where both sides are coming from. Although Cherry is also a Soc herself she still spies on her closest friends just to help the greasers a little bit, because she understands the problem from all angles. Perspective is important to society and heroism because it helps people to view situations from other positions, and to consider other beliefs, experiences, and opinions. Such things are crucial for humanity and a hero because they give one a better understanding and greater empathy. It reduces bias, judgment, and conflict. When people don’t have perspective, they are quick with claims, which could end in unnecessary trouble. To summarize, a hero like Cherry Valance shows heroism by having perspective.

A hero speaks out against injustice, like Ponyboy Curtis in The Outsiders . In the novel, there is a lot of stereotyping between Socs and Greasers—the rich vs the poor. Ponyboy wants to help look out for the Greasers and for“boys like him”. As seen in the final few pages of the book, he thinks to himself “Someone should tell their side of the story, and maybe people would understand then and wouldn’t be so quick to judge a boy by the amount of hair oil he wore. It was important to me.”(Hinton, page # 179) This highlights Ponyboy coming to understand stereotyping and that he needs to advocate for those who are being judged on where they are from and how they look. Being an advocate and voice for problems such as class division, health and human rights, and food assistance, is a big idea in heroism because with so much going on in the world it can be hard to be seen but if that voice is heard it can help them build others’ confidence, help them push through, and take positive action. The impact of one person can last for many years and affect many people over time. Every hero needs to make a good impact on someone who doesn’t have the same chance or the opportunity to have their voice heard. To conclude, when someone like Ponyboy Curtis speaks out against injustice, they become a hero.

Not all heroes wear capes… Selfless people, who have perspective, and are willing to speak out against injustice are heroes too! If someone takes 1 minute of their day to look through the mess of selfishness and self-centered people to find someone who can benefit from their help then this small act of heroism will not only benefit the world by uplifting and enhancing other people’s lives but it inspires others to do the same.

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Sad

Inspiring, Love, Motivation, Short stories / / , , , ,

The wind blew, making my hair go haywire as the waves of the water below carried a small boat. In the hurry of the day I lost someone so precious, so wonderful, so cherished that my mind began to go wandering far into the blue-green ocean. I could not hear the gossip and chattering of the voices that surrounded me. All I saw was darkness, and I felt like I was drowning in untouched waters, gasping for air, screaming for help but no one can hear. And if I ever would make it out alive, no one will understand the pain, the amount of fear and terror I bore. No one will know how it feels to feel so weak that you think your soul is going to leave your body. Tears fell from my eyes but no one noticed them. They say they know how it feels, but do they? They say that they have your back but do they? Because if they did, where are they now when I needed them most? I stayed quiet the whole way back from the funeral location, my eyes were glossy. I moved and looked like I was hypnotized for the next following days at least that’s what they told me. They told me for a few days/weeks it will feel weird and depressing, the internet told me it would be like that for 6 months and after that, everything will go back to normal. Like with everything they were wrong. Normal? What is normal without the person you love with your whole heart? How normal is normal if a whole chunk of your life is missing? As I walked down the street, people would whisper, look at me in pity. But I ignored them. Usually in movies, this is the part where the person gives up on living and takes up bad habits but my life was not a movie. I would go through the motions of daily life and then at precisely 6 o’clock I would head to the beach and stare at the water. Just stare as memories flood my mind, how can someone I was hearing and interacting with just a few months ago disappear? I was mad, I was angry. How could the universe take something away from me that was more valuable than gold? Some days I felt weak and powerless, and others I felt like screaming and cursing at the top of my lungs. But no matter how I felt each day would end with me crying my heart out. I didn’t feel like smiling, eating, or going out with friends knowing that the person I thought would be with me forever was gone. I still lived though because many were relying on me like relied on the very person that drifted away from me. As time went on, I learned to live with this empty spot in my heart, I learned to laugh even though deep inside I was crying. I learned to be myself again without the person that kept me going. When people asked as they do, I would share our story. I am old now, my hair is gray, I am close to breathing my last breath, and I find comfort in this because soon I will meet the person I miss so deeply. Nothing is forever even sadness.

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Summer gone totally wrong! Here is our protagonist looking like a rockstar while mentally having a break down !

A Summer Day to Remember

Mystery, Short stories / / , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

“NOOOO!” Kaylee cried.  My face turned into one of those shiny red fuji apples that were currently on display in the fresh produce section near me. All I wanted this summer was a job where I could earn some cash. But little sister Kaylee had to ruin everything! 

School ended two weeks ago and that’s how long it took me to spend all my allowance for the whole of summer. But it wasn’t my fault that there were a bunch of cute and stylish outfits on sale. Even now as my bratty little sister cried her head off…I looked gorgeous. I pretty much slayed in my brand new white ripped jeans, crop top, and the perfect Drop Shoulder Drawstring Crop Hoodie to go on top. I mean I did not look like a model or anything, you can’t look like a model if you have freckles covering your whole face, red hair, and green eyes, but it was a major wardrobe improvement over my sweatpants and an old worn-out vintage t-shirt. I went into shopping spree mode when I saw the outfits on display and totally forgot about the tax. Now I am broke with no money for anything else this summer. Which is why I spent all morning clicking on every link I could find for summer jobs. I almost screamed when I found a job at the local grocery store within walkable distance, had the most basic qualifications, and was paying 20 dollars an hour! I grabbed my Converse immediately ready to snatch the job before anyone else could. But my “considerate“ mother had to make me babysit one of the worst creatures that ever walked the planet… 5-year-old sisters. Don’t get me wrong, I love my mom but why did she have to make ME take care of Kaylee?! 

To be honest, Kaylee isn’t a demon, I bet I was really annoying when I was her age. But she’s been acting extra annoying since last week. She chipped my mom’s favorite statue, “accidentally” ran over my dad’s garden, and randomly cut one of my favorite shirts up saying that she was making it look better. Now there was this. She promised me and not just promised me, she pinky swore that she would not make a scene, be quiet, and listen to me the whole time until my interview was done and we were home. But right when they were about to call my name for the interview she spied in the distance an abandoned elephant plushie on one of the shelves. 

“Kaylee…come on…you have a bunch of toys at home! Like that platypus stuffy!” I whispered to her, holding her hand tightly, “STOP making a scene now…if I get this job I promise I will buy you one!”

It felt hopeless even if she calmed down there was no way they would give me the job after this! This was so unprofessional. I looked around me at a bunch of strangers, some had a look of pity, and others just stared in awe. As I was about to rush me and Kaylee out of the store I noticed in the corner of my eyes a mum holding onto her child’s hand and looking at Kaylee as if she was a monster. 

Then she mouthed the words “She is crazy!”

I got down to Kaylee’s height. My sister was Not Crazy and she would not cry without reason.

“What happened, why do you want THAT plushie soo much?”  I asked her calmly. She stopped and looked at me so seriously that I thought we were going to discuss a business deal.

“I heard that exact plushie will grant you 3 wishes if you ask it nicely and I want Mom and Dad to be together again” She explained as if it was obvious. Our parents divorced during the school year, at the end of February.  I wasn’t really surprised because of how much they fought, but still, it crushed my heart when they told us. But every other weekend we switch and they still talk on the phone sometimes as friends, so it really wasn’t so bad. But I totally forgot how Kaylee was handling all of this.

“Where did you hear that exactly?” I said looking her straight in the eyes.

“In either a youtube short or TikTok, when I stole your phone” she replied looking impatient. 

I tried to hold it in but after looking at her for a few more seconds I busted out laughing. If people thought Kaylee was crazy then they would think our whole family was psychos. When I finally could calm down I smiled at her and held her hand more loosely.

“After my interview, I promise you ice cream and that plushie” I smirked getting up to face the employee in front of me.

“ I am ready for my interview, but could you watch her for a bit,” I asked little more relaxed as the crowd that gathered around me a few moments ago disappeared.

“No need, you are Hired! We have never seen someone handle a child that smoothly. Maybe it took some time but I am sure you will be a valuable employee. We need someone who understands kids and can be calm in difficult situations” she exclaimed in delight.  

She shifted the wooden clipboard from one arm to another and stretched out her free hand in front of me. I immediately shook it. After we discussed boring job details like when I would be starting, Kaylee, I, and that elephant plushie(Which I got for free!) left the store and headed down to the ice cream store around the corner.

Kaylee excitedly swung her legs under the table as she licked her cookies & cream with an extra scoop of cookie dough. Luckily I had two gift cards for this ice cream store or I could not afford that. 

“I have a question, Kaylee,” I asked, my smiling face turned a little more serious 

“Yeah, what? ” she replied as the ice cream started to drip

“Why did you chip Mom’s vase and run over Dad’s garden?…you know those are very important to them”  I questioned even though I think I know why now.

“Because….because…I thought that if Mom and Dad think that I was turning into a bad kid when they are separated then they would get back together to make me into a good kid.” she explained after some hesitation.

I grabbed a couple of napkins and wiped the sticky vanilla ice cream off her face.

“It was a good try, but they are divorced for a reason ” I sighed  

Kaylee just stared at me, as she finished the cone.

“Let’s go home..” I smiled as I helped her out of her tall chair.

When we got home, the lights were dark and Kaylee ran inside. My hand searched for the switch. 

“Wall, Wall, Wall, more wall, finally Switch!” I  exclaimed the same moment the light turned on and a bunch of people Shouted “Happy Birthday !”

The room stared at me and the only noise I could hear was the beating of my fast heart.

“OMG…when did y’all come here…Aunt Jane! Uncle Mike! dad? ” I said looking around the room.

“Hey, kiddo!” he smiled as he pulled me in for a bear hug.  

When he let go, I was just confused.

“Don’t tell me you forgot” my mom laughed as she walked me inside the house. Everything was covered in decorations. Balloons covered the floor. 

“It is my birthday?” I asked stupidly 

“Of course, it is dear” Aunt Jane replaced sharing a look with my mom.

I felt so embarrassed, more embarrassed than when Kaylee was screaming in the grocery store a few moments ago. How did  I forget MY  birthday?

Hours later, after everybody left. I got up from my cozy spot on the sofa and grabbed another slice of cake. Kaylee who was staring at my huge pile of presents decided that she could not wait any longer, and grabbed the biggest one. 

“Open it!” she cried in anticipation 

“Ok..ok” I giggled tearing up the wrapping paper

The first thing I saw was a golden frame, was it a painting?

I tore more of the wrapping paper this time more carefully. What I saw next made my eyes fill up with tears. Dad kept his hand on my shoulder.

“I and your mom are not going to get back together but I want you to have a picture of your original family”  he corrected as I gently place the picture on the ground.

“Where should I keep it?” I asked looking at Mom.

“Where ever you like,” she said smiling at dad

“Thank you, Jim” She waved as Dad left the house.

“See you next week, kiddoes,” he replied giving me and Kaylee a wave.

I smiled, looking back at the frame, “I know exactly where to keep you!”

Summer gone totally wrong! Here is our protagonist looking like a rockstar while mentally having a break down !

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The Sea of Thoughts

Short stories / / , , , , , ,

I am surrounded by a blue sea. Its waves that once were wild are now still. I am away from my family and friends, I have gone far, so far… I could go back to the land, to the soft grass under my bare feet, to the fields of roses and tulips, but no. I have decided to stay, in the middle of a great sea. I dare not go farther. I won’t go back. I remain still in my little boat, deep in thought. I have escaped my troubles, locked them in my chest of worries and problems. I look around my boat and see a fishing rod. I cast it in the waters.  As I wait for a bite, I open the chest hesitantly. I instantly drown in my worries. I take one problem out at a time. I sit wondering. Here I am in the middle of a vast sea on an even giant planet in a gigantic universe. My problems suddenly seem so small like it was just an unnoticed scratch. Stronger than ever I opened my chest and dumped my problems all at once. They slowly disappear as I figure out an easy solution to each one. I smile when I pick up the last problem. Suddenly I felt a bite on the fishing rod. I happily pull the hook out of the water. The hook had a big fish. I think of the fish’s family and let it go. I find one more easy solution for the last problem. The heavy chest I had before was now empty and light. My work here is done. I pack up and look around, I smile. I turn the boat to go back home. I say bye, to the sea of thoughts.

Photo by Nuno Obey on Pexels.com

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Look Within

Inspiring, Motivation / / , , , , ,

POWER

I’m lost somewhere, a place I can’t describe. I went far away from the world I loved the most. I went West to East and North to South and this place I found. I’m stuck here with sadness, knowing no one will see or find me. Now tears are rolling down my cheeks. Can someone give me a handkerchief please? I sat here with nothing to do. It’s also awfully so dark, I can’t see you! I feel I’m going to blow in pieces, just wait and see. I’m stuck in this box awaiting, will someone save me from this catastrophe. I wish to only come out of this wicked place and understand how I got here in the first place. I’m sitting in a corner with my eyes closed and thought about how I got into this sticky mess.

Then I took a pencil a very sharp one indeed and a perfect piece of paper you see, and I thought some more and more and opened my eyes the room was no longer dark but bright. I poured out the words from my heart and head on to this piece of paper and realized I’m not WEAK and STUPID. I don’t look WIERD and AWKWARD. There was no more sadness but love. I’m me, a perfect me. Now I know who I am. In fact, every trait and look I have is special. I may be different but not bad. I’m perfect how I am. I have my way; I have my power. And I will always stay like this.

All I needed to do was to look within, and within my love, joy, sadness, and blessing I found the light within me. The doors opened and I was out. The wicked place was gone and no more existed. I felt free, I knew it was all in me. The world I thought was dark, became bright again. I closed my eyes for the last time I remembered the memory lane. I remembered every day when I was happy and sad, and I will never forget this one too. Today I found something, I didn’t know before. And now I’m happy with my inner strength I found. I’m free and so are you and all we have do is look within! 

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