High Hopes

I had really high hopes for my creative writing group, but they are slowly dwindling. I just don’t seem to be able to inspire the kids to write. Every week I start out by giving them a couple of fun things to do like a word search or unscrambling words. After all they have been in school all day.

I look for interesting writing prompts such as, What if… and funny photos. I have shared things I have written to help inspire them. The response I get in return is, “How much do we have to write?” I have searched the web for ideas and I feel I am wasting my time and theirs. Maybe if I tried lighting a fire cracker under their seats it would wake them up.

There are kids in my class who have great imaginations and occasionally display potential when the mood strikes them, which isn’t often. The fact that I am volunteering my time to try to help them only adds to my frustration.

Some things popped up online today that are leading me to believe it is time to give the group up as a bad idea. I have done my best, but it just isn’t working.

You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink is an old quote, but it sure fits my current predicament.

A recent quote from Abraham/Hicks also adds to the heap. It is, "don’t go to them, let them come to you".

To point me in the right direction and remind me that you can’t keep doing the same things and expect different results was the poem There’s a Hole in my Sidewalk by Portia Nelson, which appeared on a friend's blog.

Chapter One
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost…I am helpless
It isn’t my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

Chapter Two
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don’t see it.
I fall in again.
I can’t believe I am in the same place.
But, it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

Chapter Three
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in…it’s a habit.
My eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

Chapter Four
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

Chapter Five
I walk down another street.


Sometimes our plans just don't work out and sometimes what seems to be a failed plan might be a stepping stone to a bigger one. Although I had high hopes for this idea when it was conceived it looks as if the universe might be sending me a message this morning.