Thank you @MarianneWest for inviting me to highlight some of my special shit as part of the #freewrite community's Over 20 Club! I have previously written about how I became a freewriter and what the community means to me. If you're interested you can read about that in my post, Freewrites, Friendship, And The Old Steemians Home! And a special thanks to @fireawaymarmot for designing the fantastic over 20 Club badge! Here we go:
The Personal
I might as well start with the deeply personal stuff. These are the two freewrites that mean the most to me. In fact I wrote them specifically for myself. I wanted to get these out. I needed to. The first is called:
Pasta In The Wind
Dramatic, right? I never got to know my maternal grandmother. I've only heard stories through my parents. One of those memories is featured in Pasta In The Wind. As is the picture below...
Despite it's length, my next selection was, by far, the hardest thing for me to write. It's my only poem. And, it's the most personal thing I've posted. That is, of course, my ode:
To Peter
Peter McBride. This needs some explanation. Peter was introduced to my family through an organization called Project Children. This organization brought thousands of children from Northern Ireland over to the United States to stay with host families for the summer. From the website:
The idea was twofold. Most importantly they wanted to get the kids away from the violence and the paramilitaries who work double time recruiting kids during school breaks. Denis and Pat also wanted to show the Protestant and Catholic kids that they could live together and actually like each other.
My family hosted Peter for two consecutive summers. Unfortunately, the violence we helped him escape eventually took his life anyway. Though, if you google "Peter McBride Murder" you'll see that his death was not in vain. Rest in peace, Peter. You will, forever, be my friend.
At the airport. Anxiously awaiting his arrival.
The first meeting.
Peter on the local news. Never ones to miss an opportunity, my brother and I are in the background. I'm on the left making a face and my brother is on the right doing a Pepsi commercial.
Peter certainly made the most out of his short time with us. Here he is riding the three-wheeler...
...riding the lawn mower...
...swimming in the pool. My mom still wants to yell at him for standing on the tube when she sees this picture. "Don't be yellin' at me now," was Peter's usual response.
My favorite picture of Peter and me. Engaged in our favorite past-time. I think one of us deserves a yellow card. LOL, I remember that dog jumping into the fray.
The Paranormal
Those who already know me, know about my interest in the paranormal. I've written numerous accounts about my real-life experiences with the unknown. Despite always being into the paranormal, I never actually experienced paranormal activity until I went to college(possibly?). Here is one of my first experiences:
The Phantom Foghorn: A Freewrite Original
And a more recent experience:
Freewrite: Sacket's Harbor Orb
The Humor
Since my favorite thing to do is make people laugh, I definitely want to end this on a lighter note. Here are a couple of short freewrites that I've been told are funny. Thank you for reading this far. Enjoy:
5 Minute Freewrite: Dirty Dishes!
5 Minute Freewrite - An Ode To Family 😏 (Glasses)
Welcome to Steem Community @omra-sky! As a gentle reminder, please keep your master password safe. The best practise is to use your private posting key to login to Steemit when posting; and the private active key for wallet related transactions.
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It is a gift to be able to read through what you have written and see more of the man that I'm lucky enough to be able to call my friend! 💕 I've loved the chance to learn more about you and to be able to see your writing grow through these freewrites!
Thank you for sharing the lovely photo of your grandmother and those treasured pictures of you and Peter. He had such a great smile! It was terrible that he was taken from this world. My love to you and his family, hon. Hugs
Your paranormal experiences are incredibly interesting to read! I'm hoping that you'll continue on with writing about your experiences and what you've learned from them. I appreciate how you include the history into these as well!
Your humorous freewrites have given me so many laughs when I needed one! Thank you for that as well!!! 🤗
Thank you, thank you and thank you! 😊
and another little thank you to you :)
I didn't realise how multifaceted you are my friend! I am so intrigued by your paranormal activities as you know..but most of all your post made me think and moved me for your beautiful memories and pictures. May Peter be playing always with that great attitude and smile in the heavens :-)
Thank you for reading! Sometimes I like to mix things up and do something different just to make it more interesting for me. I hope my writing doesn't become too predictable. And thank you for your well wishes!
You're welcome my friend. Tomorrow I will review the freewriters.. I'm progressively coming back .. do don't worry I'll do my part, and sorry for last week-end when I didn't notice..
That's good because I will only be able to deliver prompts for about the first hour. Then I have to leave for a couple of hours. I can continue when I get back, though.
Just start from the bottom and do the hour Omra, don't worry I'll do the rest 😉
Congrats on joining the over 20 club @omra-sky.. Well deserved my friend, I have enjoyed many of your freewrites since joining you guys a month ago.. great to ctahc up on some of your old ones through this post..
That poem about Peter brought a tear to my eye, The way he was shot down in cold blood was despicable, as were so many other deaths on both sides of the religious divide in the troubles as they called them. I hate euphemisms like this - call them heartless murders, which is what they were.... But instead of dwelling on the sadness, I'd like to thank you and your family for taking in this young Irishman at his time of need, and showing him love and friendship.. It's clear to see you were ready friends.. No doubt but Peter is watching down on you, and has your back. And a special mention to Denis Mulcahy, the founder of Project Children too, what an amazing man... I found out all about it recently on the Late Late show in Ireland last year when they did a special on Denis and Project children. He's a legend of a man.. RIP Peter
Thank you for the kind words and your support. Yes, it's even more tragic when children get caught up in the conflicts perpetuated by previous generations. Though it was brief, I'm glad I was able to call Peter my friend. I was sorry to hear that Project Children came to an end. I can only hope it's because it's not really needed anymore.
Yes, it was sad to see it come to and end, but there are many countries around the world that would benefit from the same kindness and altruism today.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read your work that I missed. First of all, I am so sorry about Peter and at least he had 2 wonderful summers at your home; bless you and your family for giving him that. Writing definitely has healing powers.
The paranormal experience speaks to me as I too have had some encounters. I have a friend like your friend Jeremy, and she is the only one I can talk to about my experiences because she has them also.
I will always remember you as the founder of the Old Steemian Home and how you brought us all together in such a fun way. It will be so much fun to see all of the future "add-ons."
Looking forward to getting to know you better on this fun journey we are on together. Hugs!
Thanks so much for your support! I'd be interested in hearing about your experiences if you ever want to share them. I can't believe it's only been a couple of months since starting the old steemians home. I can't wait to see where we go next!
Sure, I would love to share them with you because I know you won't think I am crazy. I have had some out of body experiences too.
I am definitely looking forward to see where the old steemians home goes to next. Should be a wild ride! : )
I am so sorry to read about Peter and all that his family had to go through. It is so sickening that people like the soldiers and those who kept them in position seem to be always falling upward - towards even better positions.
Sickening that so many people protested to no avail.
Thank you for taking us down your freewrite lane - it is always so much fun to read what you write! Love how your mind works :)
Thank you so much for your support. Without the confidence I got from the freewrites, I honestly don't know if I'd still be on Steemit.
I am so glad that you are here!! And that we are going to do some great things together!!
Love your freewrites, and thank you for giving us all the background too. The sad stuff and the bad stuff shapes us as much (maybe more) than the good stuff, and it makes us who we are. So lucky to be able to read your freewrites! Welcome to the club! :)
Thank you for the support. Yes, it's often the bad stuff that makes us wiser and stronger. Looking forward to what the future brings!
You know how I feel about you and I'm so honored we got to know each other through our freewrites.
You have always been there for me as a friend and an encouraging word when needed most.
I love everything about this post and it made me think about how lucky we all are to find each other through the freewrites.
Thank you for that!!
Thank you for your support and for always making me smile. I can only imagine what we'll come up with next. 😊
Thank you for sharing with us some important facts of your background. One of the things I like more about the freewriters community is the widening of the mutual knowledge. We're from different countries, we have different ways of life, and we experienced different events in our past, but giving to the others small windows open to what we are is precious. I think I've never enriched myself feeling empathy and learning from other's tales like in these months since I'm on Steemit. Thank you!
Thank you for the support and participating in the freewrites and the Steem Home. There's something about Steemit and the freewrite community that just feels different. If feels more personal. Because of that, I felt comfortable writing the Old Steemians Home in the first place. I can't wait to see where this goes in the future!
My gosh, from heartwarming pastawind grandmother to shocking death of Peter - you really took me on a trip!
I just recently joined steemit and i'd love to read more about the freewrite movement! It sounds really interesting
Thank you so much. You should definitely consider doing freewrites. Here's the most current post if you'd like to learn more. 😊
https://steemit.com/freewrite/@mariannewest/day-125-5-minute-freewrite-wednesday-prompt-cinnamon
Wow! That was my first ever upvote - thank you very much :) and i will make sure to read the post now. This also wouldn't sound much but you are my first ever person to follow!
Have a good week~
Freewrites are a great way to start writing here. We're a very supportive community. And stuff like that makes my day. 😁
This is a tiny upvote from my brand new podcast account :)
coming back as Marianne in a bit...
What an amazing story @omra-sky congratulations on your over 20 club induction. It's #freewriters like you that keep me coming back day after day. 😋
Thank you for the kind words, my friend! Here's to many more! 🍻
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All the Best!!!
You got a 2.01% upvote from @buildawhale courtesy of @omra-sky!
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thanks for you sharing and Congrats for you @omra-sky
😎😎
These are wonderful!!! I'm so glad you have personal memories as freewrites. You never know what a prompt is going to bring out in us :D I lost my slider and over voted, but hope I can come back before the pay to vote for ya!
Thank you very much! Yes, writing has brought out more than I ever bargained for. Damn, sorry to hear you lost your slider. I feel like I'll never get one.
I got delegated sp from @minnowsupport. I will get more just have to win it :D