The Daily Post prompted:
Quickly list five things you’d like to change in your life.
Now, write a post about a day in your life once all five have been crossed off your to-do list.
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I hate making lists. I especially hate making lists about myself. But for the sake of writing, here goes the first five things that pop into my head (considering the prompt uses the word “quickly”).
1. Free of debt. My wife and I have been working towards this and have made great progress since moving to South Korea.
2. Procrastinate less. I say “less” because a little procrastination here or there never hurt anyone. Everything in moderation right?
3. Semi-fluent Korean conversation skills. Another one that I’ve been working towards. Our Korean language class that we take every Saturday has definitely forced us to study.
4. Organization. I want to be a more organized fellow. I rely too much on my wife’s ability to be organized that I tend to fall short in that area.
5. I would like to be halfway finished with my novel. However, I haven’t even started one yet. Halfway finished would be nice because beginning is the greatest challenge, which is why I haven’t. By the midway mark I imagine I’d be in the writing groove.
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It’s payday! Time to go to the bank to transfer most of my check back to America. I have debt to pay off – I’m on a mission! Oh wait… I paid my last debt last month. What to do with all this money?
Good thing I had pre-organized a plan on what to do if I’d ever get out of debt. First things first; find a single mother. That’s going to be hard to do in Korea. Divorce isn’t as common as it is in America. Oh well, I’m sure it’s not an impossibility.
As I’m walking down the street, I stumble across a mother and her two young children. The youngest is clinging over her mother’s back like most toddlers do in this country, while the other is being pushed in a shabby stroller. The piercing cry of the baby fills the air while the mom pushes the the cart to the side, sits on the curb and lets the tears flow. I sit beside her, trying my best not to startle her, and ask (in Korean) if she’s okay. Far from expected and in a moment of vulnerability, she lets me have it with her list of regrets. These then lead to all her shortcomings, both past and present. I learn that she has just gotten a divorce, her husband took everything, her family is on the brink of disowning her, and she is currently thinking about giving her children over to a local orphanage. It’s looking rough.
Well what do you know, I had already organized a plan to help out a single mother had I ever been given the opportunity. Without hesitation, I take the woman to the bank, and deposit my check into her new account. I agree to transfer the same amount into her account each month, for an entire year; the same amount that had been previously sent to all my debts. We came to the conclusion that this would help her purchase a car, settle into a nice apartment, and alleviate most of the stress that was accumulating in her life. What a relief! I give her and her children a hug, and promise to keep in touch.
Later that evening, I go home, turn on my computer, and begin working on chapter 16 of my novel. I’ve found my muse.
Youth Avenue 