Empowerment. Engagement. Authenticity.
Transitions in Writing - Leaving the Nest
Shrieks of laughter and water splashing pulled me
toward the waterfront where swimming tests were underway. A lifeguard
introduced himself, led me into the water. Mom hovered on the shore,
towel at the ready. Wow, the water was cold, but I could feel the
anticipation thrumming through me. I felt so pretty in my new,
blue-flowered swimsuit and the lifeguard was so handsome!. I was excited
and scared at the same time. My first summer camp. My first week without
Mom and Dad. My mind raced with thoughts of new friends and nagging
doubts.
Memories of that wonderful summer of 1994 had me smiling despite my
weariness as I stepped off my third plane in twenty-two hours and got my
first look at Melbourne, Australia. That week had been the idyllic
beginning of my topsy teenage years. This two week respite from
university, not to mention the deep freeze of winter in Toronto,
promised to be a once in a lifetime networking and vacation opportunity.
In the lush vineyards and sparkling oceanic horizons, I tasted that same
heady freedom that had inspired me six years before. A hemisphere away
from Mom and Dad, I straightened the jacket of my khaki suit and
prepared to enjoy another adventure.
(c) Kristy Kassie, 2006
Transitions in Writing
It is important to link each paragraph, or part
of a story, to each other. This helps readers understand the main idea.
One method of doing this is by showing a character in the past and then
in the present. In the piece above, the character is shown as a child
and then as a young woman.The reader sees how the character matures.
