Today is 29th February. 'Leap Day' as one of the children writing for the 100 Word Challenge charmingly called it.
My brother suggested today that I should make a time-capsule tin, and bury it in the garden, to be dug up in four years and opened - no doubt amidst cries of: 'No! That can't have been four years ago!', or, alternatively: 'Was that only four years ago?'
What should be put in that tin, I wonder?
I think it is a great idea. It should be done every Leap Day.
A regular marker of life - a yard stick.
Why don't you make one too, before the day ends and it's too late.
Make everyone in the family contribute something to the tin.
But quickly, quickly - especially as there is only a sliver of moon at the moment to bury it by, should you leave it until the dark watches of the night.
You will have to gather round with lanterns and spades, and the neighbours twitching their net curtains and wondering who you have disposed of.
In the meantime, this week's 100 Word Challenge is
…Take a Leap of Faith….
And there is more. To quote from Julia's blog:
'Like, last week, you don’t have to include
those words in the piece. If you get to write it before midnight on Feb
29th, you may like to put a reminder for yourself to post it on Feb.29th .net as
well. It is set to be the biggest blogging event of the year so don’t
miss out on getting involved! You can only post on that day – 29th Feb
though!'
So get posting!
Here is my entry for Take a Leap of Faith:
When he was born, an angel whispered in her ear: 'Be careful what you spin - though spin you must.'
But sated with happiness, she barely heard.
She spun without knowing, effortlessly.
He toddled, went to school, played soccer, grew taller than her.
She caught the glint of wider horizons dawning in his eyes, ignored his angry: 'Spinning sucks!'
At 18, he showed her the cliff-edge. 'I want to dive,' he explained.
But hope shielded her, for remembering the angel, she understood.
'Fly,' she urged. 'I have given you wings. Trust them - they are spun from threads of the strongest love.'
 |
| Bird in flight. Image by Russ Hansen |
Now I am going to finish putting things in my tin and seal it with duck tape, and put a label on it, and do complicated measurements to locate the EXACT spot in the garden where it will lie in repose for the next four years, so that I can find it again, rusted and decayed and fallen in on itself.
It's a pity my brother isn't here! He is a GIS wizard. He could make a map.
Note to self: Place all contents in plastic bag inside tin.
Additional note to self: Write memo on 2016 calendar to remind myself tin exists...
(Would the attic suffice, I wonder?)
