Memorable writing that sparks imagination. Lean in. Hear the writer’s voice on the page.
Sep 17, 2023
Memorable writing that sparks imagination. Lean in. Hear the writer’s voice on the page.
One Cup At A Time
By DSBriggs
Judith saw her hand reaching out and towards her mug. She noticed since her brain injury, she had to mentally plan any movement step by step.
She closed one eye so that only one mug was in her vision.
“OK. Lift the hand out of the lap. Make sure the arm isn’t taking a side trip of its own.
All right, aim for the mug on the right. Uncurl fingers. That’s progress. No one has to unbend and stretch ‘em.”
The knuckles on her hand were swollen and she noticed she was thinking in third person.
“My knuckles, my knuckles are swollen. I have crooked fingers too.”
She watched her arm and hand work in unison as she reached for her mug. She mentally told herself to grab as tight as she could and to slowly slide the glazed stoneware cup off the table.
It was heavy! Was it hot? She wasn’t sure. Her temperature gauge had been slow to return.
Judith watched the rim approach her face. She was quite relieved when her lips met the cup lip. The swallowing exercises had begun to pay off as only a little dribble from the left side slid down her chin to plop gently on her sweatshirt.
She couldn’t afford to get distracted, so she watched the mug slowly inch back towards the table.
She saw her hand begin to shake from the exertion of keeping herself from flinging. Overcompensating as the Occupational Therapist would say.
“Now lift! Dammit!” as she watched.
She let go of the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.
“Good job,” she told herself and began to cry again.
DSBriggs continues to reside in Northern California. Dog, quilts and good friends occupy her time in between bouts of reading and writing.
She loves writing in short bursts and with prompts.
She has felt honored to have been published in The Write Spot Collections: “The Write Spot to Jumpstart Your Writing: Discoveries,” The Write Spot: Possibilities,” and “The Write Spot: Writing as a Path to Healing. Available in print and as ereaders at Amazon.
See more Sparks writing on my blog by clicking here.
