In honor of my mother’s birthday, I thought it would be fitting to use one of her quotes in a creativity prompt. This quote was a recent gem that became an instant classic the moment it left her mouth. You might ask why is there pie in my creativity prompt?
There’s pie because that’s what my mother always did. She baked pies. We had birthday pie, not birthday cake. (My pie was strawberry!) People marveled over her pie crust and asked for the recipe. Her secret to a perfect pie crust? Use the recipe from the Betty Crocker cookbook. She had years to perfect it.
This particular quote that I’m using for the creativity prompt happened when she decided she was going to plan the food for her funeral. Mind you, she already planned the actual funeral years ago. We always talked about death when I was growing up. She wanted to make sure there was no fighting after she and dad died, so we all knew exactly what we’d get. But until last year, she never planned what would happen after the funeral and it all started with hallucinations she was having while on an antibiotic.
She started hallucinating that she was planning the luncheon after her funeral and when I came to visit her, she dictated the menu she wanted at the event. (Yes, I really do have it hanging on the Fridge. Did I ever tell you that my mother is a formidable woman who will find a way to haunt me if I don’t put on her funeral exactly as she planned? Well, she is.) While she was trying to figure out what we would have for dessert, she uttered this instant classic, “I can’t make any pies. I won’t be there.”
And there you have it. Your creativity prompt. It can suggest a variety of scenes. What scene will you create with this prompt?
As an addendum, Mother died on January 3rd of 2019, just eight months shy of her 100th birthday. We used her menu for the get-together after her funeral. How could we not? Then we laughed over all of her Mommyisms at her funeral.
And, yes. She preferred to be called Mother, not Mom.
Jennifer this really made me smile and remember. My late grandmother stunned us all when she chose the garment she was going to wear in her coffin! I’ve never forgotten it – it was a peach coloured silk nightgown and was covered in ribbon of all kinds. Thanks for the memory and, of course, the prompt which I think I’ll give to my mentees at our writing group tonight and see what they come up with.
I love this! I think she wanted to feel comfortable. Were you stunned that she picked out her coffin wear or just stunned by the choice? I’d love to see what your writing group comes up with for this prompt. You can find more under the Wednesday Whoa tab at the top of the page.
Personally I was stunned at the sight of the garment she had chosen! Seriously if you knew my gran she wasn’t a peachy, ribbony kind of person although, having had to work hard all of her life and, actually, not having had the easiest life maybe she thought she would go out in style. My two aunties who were also present were actually taken aback that she was thinking about her coffin. I guess all of us had never really thought that much about her not being around at some point in the future when clearly she had.
I used your prompt to great effect yesterday evening – some did write about funerals but the common theme actually turned out to be around loss in general – very cathartic for some but rather sad at the same time. I’ve pointed them towards your site because I think it is good that they get into the habit of picking up prompts other than the ones I give them so, again, thank you.
Of all the things that she’s planned, what she’s going to wear is not one of them. She plans on being cremated before her Memorial service because she doesn’t like wakes. She doesn’t want to have to subject anyone to something that she absolutely hates.
And thank you for sharing my blog. I really love hearing how you used the prompt and what your group did with it.
Jennifer – I’ve not explored your creativity prompts yet, but I sure like this one. I think I might try it. Your mother sounds much like mine in relation to death – a very practical approach.
Practical and straightforward best describe my mother. Amazingly, she was diagnosed with high blood in her twenties, so she always figured that she would die early. That’s why she kept preparing us. Who knew that two heart attacks and a triple by-pass would make her stronger?
what keeps running through my head ismm “yo mama!”
I love this story. She lived a long life. It’s nice when people plan their own funerals. It make it so much easier for everyone else. Unfortunately, I don’t know anyone else who has, including me.
Wow. Your mom sounds like an incredible woman and so close to her 100th! Sounds like she lived a long, good life, all any of us could want.
I could say something profound, but really, I just want some pie today.
Have some pie!