Andrea Lani

For each issue of Literary Mama, Literary Reflections shares a writing prompt, inviting our readers to respond. Our editors provide feedback on the responses we receive, and we post our favorites on the blog. This month’s writing prompt is inspired by Christie O. Tate’s essay, Tornado Drill Position, and Odeta Xheka’s essay, At the Kitchen […]

I don’t remember our final to-nowhere ride, but I knew we were moving away and that we might never live in Brooklyn again.

For now, I’m content to stare at the well-used brush, poised for nothing, and for everything.

One of the joys of parenting is celebrating our children’s firsts—first smile, first tooth, first day of school.

My son demonstrates to me time and time again, that you can take pleasure in simply giving something a shot.

My children taught me that caring for myself matters for all my other relationships.

I can’t remember the exact moment when I started writing again, but I know that it opened the clouds a little.

I write because when I attend to all the things I have to say, it becomes a beautiful testament to a life lived thoughtfully.

For each issue of Literary Mama, Literary Reflections shares a writing prompt, inviting our readers to respond. Our editors provide feedback on the responses we receive and we post our favorites on the blog. This month’s writing prompt is inspired by Lania Knight’s essay, “Drink Me,” and Christie Megill’s essay, “Books Bind Us.”

We often have more reasons to not write than to write, and, as mothers especially, seemingly insurmountable obstacles between ourselves and our notebooks or laptops.

Write about a time when a moment of epiphany enlightened an aspect of motherhood you were struggling with.