Evening Solitude

Daily writing prompt
When do you feel most productive?

As a teen, I enjoyed secluded evenings in my bedroom when I could escape daily activities and noisy little brothers and find quiet moments to reflect and create. On those nights, I shied away from the opulent crystal chandelier hanging in the middle of my room and opted for the small lamp on my nightstand, a gift from my mother, enjoying its warmth and soft glow. I wrote poetry and music or shared secrets with my journal in the stillness. I enjoyed sitting on the floor near the large bay window. I pulled a soft comforter from the daybed along one wall and grabbed a pillow from my bed. As I settled into the corner of my room, I listened to the evening sounds of the island; as it settled into quietness, it comforted me. The Pacific thoroughfare, one street behind my own, slowed to a restful hum and often soothed, reminding me of a hushed lullaby. From a distance, the Mormon castle from the Oakland Hills softly lit the darkened skies, another nightly comfort as I rested my hands on the window sill and peered into the night. And on more than one occasion, gentle salty breezes stroked my hair until I fell asleep wrapped in my favorite throw.

Calibas. Oakland Mormon Temple. 28 Nov. 2007. 4770 Lincoln Ave, Oakland, CA 94602.

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