March 2024 Writer’s Workshop - Spring Equinox

The month of March holds the spring equinox, the moment on the calendar that most indicates renewal. This day, the shortest of the year, means that all following days will have a little more light and a little less dark.

Nothing, more than that, speaks to renewal for me. It’s about realizing the shift in the calendar and taking a moment out of our doldrums and into possibility. No matter if the shift in seasons no longer means getting closer to summer vacation, as for so many of us past that time in our lives no longer have that aspect to look forward to, we do have the promise of different weather, of BBQs and sparklers, and of evenings outside instead of inside.

For this writing theme, think about those renewals. Renewal doesn’t have to be about weather, but can be about a recommitment to a job or a spouse. It can also be about a renewed interest in a hobby or a need to make a change. Renewal happens in a variety of ways, but the emotions around it tend to have a similarity. How we feel, how the newness of something spurs action and hope, tends to be universal. Consider the nuance in that for the character inspired by this month’s prompt.

——

Example:

Liam was the only person he knew in real life who actually cared about or celebrated the equinox. The two equinoxes, whether the winter or the spring, represent big shifts. The spring equinox was the better of the two in Liam’s opinion. It meant that the school year was almost to a close and that there would be a summer reprieve from the daily in-person onslaught of being in the hallways and seeing the faces filled with disdain.

Sitting on the city bus on the way to school, looking at his phone’s calendar app, Liam noted that the spring equinox was only a few days away, March 19 this year. Just knowing that gave Liam the ability to keep going to school. Today were oral reports in history class. A full six to eight minutes as the center of attention, with the gnawing instinct to run out of the room being a constant companion during the whole thing. Liam tried to both remember every detail of the creation of the League of Nations for his report today and forget that it was happening later.

Getting off the city bus, Liam, had to walk an extra two blocks to school. But, it was worth being away from his classmates for the duration of the travel to and from school each day. Walking towards the grey brick building, Liam was reviewing the facts for today’s presentation. He thought about leadership and compromise as he tripped on the foot that suddenly came into his path. He wasn’t paying attention and Brick Johnson was able to take advantage of his lack of focus.

Pulling himself up from the ground and wiping himself off, Liam heard the laughter of those behind him.

He was able to ignore the jibe and go right into the school when he heard one of the bullies behind him mention The Giver, but then the rest of the sentence was lost in the joke over Liam’s fall to the ground. Liam searched through his knowledge of the voices behind him. That wasn’t Brick, that was Andrew Hull. Liam had a target for his book and smiled to himself as he went into the school, straight for his locker and then the history classroom. Liam was ready for the presentation.

When the teacher called on Liam to the front of the room to start his presentation, Liam made the decision in that moment that his book was worth more than a perfect grade today. He grabbed his stomach with one hand, covered his mouth with the other, and ran out of the room. He heard the laughter behind him and the noise of his note cards hitting the floor. They wanted to have reasons for him to be worth mocking, so giving him what they want was the best way to distract them.

He left the room and went towards the group of lockers where his bullies hang out. He wasn’t sure which one was Andrew’s, but did know the general group. He was handy with these locks, having had his jammed so many times by those he was looking to get back at now. He started opening them all, and found, in the fourth he tried a copy of The Giver. It wasn’t his copy, though. Liam’s heart sank.

This setback, though, gave him new vigor in finding his copy. He took something of value from each of the lockers. A laptop, a school-issued e-reader, a little silver-wrapped box, and a wallet, because one of them was dumb enough to have left it in their locker. Then Liam walked away, leaving the lockers open.

Taking a deep breath, Liam walked into the history classroom and had trouble looking nervous as he gave his speech. The teacher had gathered his note cards and he was now sharing his information about the League of Nations. But, compromise was the last thing on his mind.