“Who taught you to float on your back in the water?” This question rekindled my childhood dream to pick up a pen and write. Barbara Brown Taylor asked it during her keynote address at the first Frederick Buechner Writer’s Workshop*. It’s a simple prompt, but what came forth on my paper was deep and surprising.

It was at this conference, almost two years ago, when the idea sparked to start this blog. It’s a simple idea, but I’m hoping what we share here will be profound. Something about being prompted to write, literally by a good question or reflection on life experience, connects with my desire to respond more fully and faithfully to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. I believe there is a connection between pen and practice. Words have power, and I’m exploring how responding to a prompt on the page might shape my response to God’s prompting in my life.

Here’s the idea. I’ll respond to a writing prompt and share it here. Then I’ll invite you to respond also. If it’s a few short sentences, you can leave it in the comments. If it’s a longer response, email it to shannon@lifeprompted.com. At least one guest response will be posted for each prompt. I don’t plan to edit my posts over and over again. I plan to sip a drink, sit down and respond to a prompt with what time I have because it feeds my soul to do so. Please hear my invitation to do the same.

So let’s get started. On this summer-like February day, let’s transport ourselves to the sun and the water. This is my response, scrawled on a free scratch paper pad from the Princeton Seminary Bookstore, to the question that woke up the sleeping writer in me:

Who taught you to float on your back in the water?

My mother tells me she thought I’d never learn to swim. I remember my terror at jumping off the diving board at our neighborhood YMCA and the shadow of a young teacher who promised she’d catch me. I remember a big group of kids swimming the length of the pool in a city park to get our Red Cross badge which is where I finally learned to swim.  

I did learn, though, and overcame whatever fear I had because I’ll never forget the joy of plunging my twenty year old body into the Mediterranean Sea off the Amalfi Coast, feeling the softness of the water on my skin, floating there for hours in the shimmering sun. I felt free. I felt buoyed up. I felt in awe of the sun and its sparkle on the gentle waves. I felt gratitude for the gift of the experience. I knew that this was grace – swimming in a vast and beautiful sea, and being buoyed up, not swallowed up.

So I am grateful for whoever those teachers were who taught me to float and to tread water and to delight in the sun on the sea.  

My friends, who taught you to float on your back in the water? I look forward to hearing from you!

*If you’re interested in the Frederick Buechner Writer’s Workshop, you can find more information at http://ptsbuechner.com/.  It’s held on the campus of Princeton Theological Seminary, a place where the Holy Spirit always meets me and hopefully you, too. If you’re not familiar with Barbara Brown Taylor, you need to know her. http://www.barbarabrowntaylor.com  And for heaven’s sake, if you haven’t read Frederick Buechner, don’t wait another minute! Life changer.  http://www.frederickbuechner.com