I don’t participate nearly as often as I’d like, but every Friday Kate Motaung posts a prompt in her Five Minute Friday writing community. This week’s prompt is the word ‘instant.’ I’m meant to free write for five minutes on this word, then post. So. Here goes.
Instant
The instant I saw her on the screen–thousands of miles from where I sat on the Zoom call–my heart felt a tug. Something in me knew I’d like her. That I should reach out to her.
The voices in my head debated this idea. One voice argued, maybe she doesn’t want your encouragement. Maybe she’ll think you’re weird. Or creepy. Or silly. Another voice suggested, not so nicely, that I’d been alone for so long that I didn’t know how to connect with people anymore. Then there was the voice that pointed out the distance between our two continents–so what would be the point?
But the voice connected to the tug, the one telling me I should send an email letting her know she’s seen and cared for, won out. I clicked send. And hoped.
An instant later, her reply came–full of teary emojis–amazed that I’d noticed. Even more astounded that I would make such a personal contact, especially in a moment she really needed it.
That was a year ago. Since then, Emily and I have worked ‘alongside each other’ digitally on projects and learned much about one another. We’ve planned and projected, dreamed and delighted along with other friends in our online community.
Then. Today. We got to meet in person. The connection made complete.
Shelley Johnson 
That’s so fun! 🥰
It just was!
Just read your post! Th
What a sweet, wonderful surprise ending!
Yes!!!! A total surprise!
How wonderful!!
Thank you 🥰🥰
that’s very cool! FMF17
Thanks–it truly was! 💜
Nice! What a great story! Thank you for sharing. Made. My. Day. Blessings on yours! (FMF#15)
Thank you! Blessings!!
I’m glad for friends I’ll never meet
(but think of every single day),
for they make my life complete
in the very nicest way
by offering the challenge
to frame a sonnet to their words;
usually I manage,
but sometimes I face the swords
of a rhyme that steals awry
(like this one is starting to!),
commanding then another try
to do what I’d set out to do,
to offer meaning, grace and thought,
not just be a rhyming bot.
Love it! Thank you 💜
And you do it with such grace and speed. I can’t imagine you speaking in a regular way, Andrew.
Shelley you told that story so well and it left a smile on my face. Blessings to you.
Thank you! Blessings!!
I love how with some people, it only takes an instant to form a friendship!