Writing for Exercise

Once a month, an eclectic group of writers gathers at a place called Book Bums.  We all have different styles, approaches, and reasons for gathering with the common denominator being our love for words.  Therefore, we call ourselves Word Bums.  I love this group! Most have been published in some form or fashion and we nurture and encourage our fellow writers. As a Christmas gift this year, the woman who facilitates the group gave us fancy page clips in a box.  She had taped a list of 12 writing exercises on the outside of the box.  I am notorious for showing up at our gatherings having written nothing to share with the group.  So, I promised her (and myself) that I would do at least one of the exercises before we meet in January. 


The exercise I tackled today is to write a 20-line poem about a memorable moment in my life. 
Here it is: 


Awkwardly Shy


The personality profile calls me an ENFP.  The Extrovert prevails, 
minus when the Perception of insignificance convinces me otherwise. 
That's when instant introversion consumes the Feeling of pure excitement. 
In these moments, the iNtuitive works overtime- desperate to resolve the conflict.


Serendipity magnified this phenomenon, standing in the kitchen of my favorite author, 
surrounded by blind intentions of helpers who had not read his descriptions of God. 
Without a clue of all I knew, they pushed me forward.  Their nudges seemed paralyzing. 
I stood silently near him in his elevator, searching the floor for courage to speak. 


Who am I to wonder what to say, when to talk, how to reveal my knowledge of his work? Questioning myself, assuming his worst perception of me. A manipulative stalker? 
But the meeting was not orchestrated by me. I wanted to scream. 
You know how God works don't you? Can I tell you how God brought me to this place? 


Admittedly, I had prayed to meet the author. God was listening and blew my mind. 
Amazingly, God used details over twenty years in the making to answer that prayer. Astonishing me with His intimate attention, God saw how my child-like faith grew. 
Awkwardly, I felt strangled by shyness in the face of this gift from my Holy God. 


The author's mutual love of music and my gift of a personal playlist saved the day with
a moment of redemption amid sounds of crashing expectations. 
A connective chat, we shared favorite lyrics and songs until necessity called him away. 
I still pray that my muted truth will someday grace his ears.