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This week’s Five Minute Friday writing prompt is: BENEDICTION

Setting my timer for five minutes, and . . . GO

When I grew up, my mom never closed the curtains in the front living room in our house. We would keep the blinds closed in our bedrooms, but the windows in the main sitting area of the house were always uncovered. We were blessed to live in a safe area, and I never thought anything of it . . . until I met my South African husband. 🙂

In most homes in South Africa, it is custom to close the blinds and curtains as soon as the sun starts to go down. At the end of every day, my husband’s brother would walk around the house, covering every window so nobody outside could see in.

It makes sense to me now, from both a safety and privacy perspective.

And now, after more than twenty-one years of marriage, I have my own nightly ritual going around the house closing the curtains.

When I go on my annual writing retreat, the other ladies tease me. I’m always the one who walks through the kitchen and living area closing the blinds when the sky grows dark. I explained the cultural indoctrination to them, and they still smile and laugh.

Now, it’s like a benediction to each of my days. Close the curtains, lock the doors, turn on the bedside lamp next to my bed, curl up and let myself read a book. My work day is done. I’m off duty. Time to relax.

STOP.

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Join us with your own five-minute freewrite on the prompt, BENEDICTION, in the link-up below, then visit your link-up neighbor to read their post and leave an encouraging comment: