More Than One Day
The ills that have befallen our world are a direct result of our actions, from discarded waste that would choke the creatures we profess to cherish, to weather conditions that will not improve, no matter how heated the discussions, if nothing is done to change the practices that harm the very air we breathe. We are partners in her course and must turn it in a direction that would cherish nature.
Some will talk of the labors that have brought advances to mankind and ask why we should not enjoy those benefits. If that be your stance, then take a holiday. Just one day. And bring no book, for this one day we’ll give to idleness, mindful that for every day that follows we must accept our responsibility and put forth the effort needed to reverse those ills we have placed upon our world.
This is my response to Prosery: Bring no book! With Prosery, the challenge is to write a piece of flash fiction with a 144-word limit (here, exactly 144 words). Included in the bit of prose is to be a complete line from a poem. For this prompt, the line to be included is from”Lines written at a small distance from my house,” by William Wordsworth.
And bring no book; for this one day
We’ll give to idleness
– William Wordsworth
Also shared with earthweal weekly challenge: NATIVE TO THE NOW.
Image source: The Conversation
rivrvlogr 
A very thoughtful response, Ken.
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Thank you, Merril.
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You’re welcome, Ken.
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So we get one vacation day for all that we’ve civilized so far … seems about right to me! – Brendan
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Thank you, and thanks for the prompt.
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Nicely summed up – a haunting collection of problems we’ve created. If idle for one minute, that’s one less mmph of worsening. A call to be idle definitely appeals. (Now, someone figure out how to make this competitive so the masses will be motivated to out-do one another’s idleness quotients …)
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Idleness quotient… interesting idea. Just enough to stay below the slacker threshold.
Thank you. 🙂
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I agree with you. We have bought these times on ourselves and now reap the consequences of our actions. Those that refuse to see this are on holiday. Like you I think this will be a short holiday. Things are moving fast. One day off is enough.
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Too many people are willing to accept conditions as they are, as if they can’t get any worse. Guess what. They will.
Thank you, Suzanne.
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Great use of both prompts. We can’t afford more than one day off. (K)
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Thanks, Kerfe. Agreed.
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This was a clever use of the prompt, Ken, to bring in the environmental element. I actually think that pausing, slowing down for a moment and thinking through some of the problems might help. We had the opportunity to do this during the pandemic, but it doesn’t look as though we’ve learned anything…
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Thank you, Ingrid. When people can’t learn from a lesson-in-the-face like the pandemic, it’s hard to have hope for them to pay attention to something as vital as the environment.
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Thought provoking and so true Ken.
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What drives me crazy is that, with all the information and evidence so stark and clear, nothing changes. Gah. Well said.
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There are some things we have to give up there are others which we will get help doing… but at the end we have to embrace this change.
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Agreed. Wearing blinders only ignores the inevitable.
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WOW, Ken. I was not expecting anyone to turn those lines into a call to action! Amazingly well done.
❤
David
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Thank you, David. 😀
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Oh that vacation day. I read it as : if you can’t do the right thing, at least stop doing the wrong thing.
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Exactly!
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“If there is to be a brave new world, our generation is going to have the hardest time living in it.” Chancellor Gorkon Star Trek VI
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Old habits…
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I wonder if that were modified to “bring no screens” to fit the modern world, how many would be able to last a full 24 hours without withdrawal. because IMO screen addiction is both the objective and the by-product of our too-fast world ~
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Ain’t that the truth!
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