In response to The New York Times article “650 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing.”
642. “What Would You Like to Learn on Your Own?”
I would like to learn to be humble.
I would like to learn to be less vain.
I would like to learn how to help more people.
I would like to learn how to write clearly.
I would like to learn how to tell a story in French and in Russian a joke.
I would like to learn how to connect with people along the way.
I would like to learn how to know when someone is lying, or learn to not care about it.
I would like to learn how to listen better, and to remember better, and to remind others.
I would like to learn how to organize a rally, would like to learn on my own what people cared about, so we can cut to the chase.
I would like to learn how to sing. I would like to learn how to dance. I would like to learn how to paint. I want to celebrate life, and I want to learn how to do the things that people do to celebrate together.
I would like to learn how to think on my own, to take risks on my own, to weather storms on my own. I would like to learn how to be there, to know when to be there, when others need me, even when they don’t admit it. I would like to learn how to give people space, why I should step aside. I would like to learn.
I would like to learn on my own the meaning of life, at least one I can stick to, I would, I would. I would like to learn on my own what it is like to go through a black hole in the center of a galaxy, something like that. I would, yes, I think.
I would like to learn what you want to learn. I’m tired of feeling separate. I’m tired of being passed. I would like to learn what it is I’m supposed to be doing — don’t you? — because it seems we’re only ever doing good when we’re helping one another. I would like to learn how to do more of that.
But if it came down to one thing, I would like to learn how to help people feel happy, to make our lives as beautiful, despite everything, and sublime, even if for a moment, as laughter or tears of joy.
That is all.
