David M. Brown's Blog

Guest Post: Awesome Books Ruined By M... Guest Post: Companion Novels – Lynn H...

#FlashFiveFriday – Backbone

[image error]

This month Mr B and I are taking part in #FlashFiveFriday run by The Indie Exchange.

#FlashFiveFriday is a weekly flash fiction / flash blogging prompt.

The rules are very simple if you’d like to take part:

1) Write for no longer than five minutes

2) No upper or lower word limits

3) You must write something new

4) You can prepare your post ahead of time but the 5 minute limit still applies

5) If you add your blog post to the weekly linky you must visit five other blogs that week too to show your support

This week’s #FlashFiveFriday post

#FlashFiveFriday – Backbone

Donna says: “Poor Dave has been abandoned to a solo effort this week – I’ll be back next week!”

[image error]

I’ve never been a particularly strong person. Through school I was quiet, shy and retiring, not the sort of person to rise to a challenge. Even after leaving university I struggled. I found the office environment intense and uncomfortable. The prospect of using a phone terrified me. It still does sometimes.

I think as we grow up some of us are stronger than others, it comes more naturally but that doesn’t mean those who are perceived to be weaker are necessarily inferior. Compared to the popular kids at school, I wasn’t the first choice for the football team (usually last!), I didn’t have rebellious tales of drinking and smoking too much (started drinking at 15, tried smoking once at 11!) and I didn’t have enviable accounts of the many girls I had to fight off due to good looks. I had none of those things but most of the time it didn’t bother me.

I’ve faced some adversity in my life, nothing compared to what most people have survived, and though I often shrivel and retreat in the face of a challenge there are some things that I have taken on and stuck with, my writing being one. When my best friend and I were at university he once told me what he liked about me most was that I didn’t care what people thought of me, I was always just myself. Those words meant a lot to me and I realised it was true. I hadn’t changed myself to suit others, to be wanted, needed and popular, I was just me. I may have been spineless in many situations throughout my life but when it comes to being me I’m always glad to find my backbone in place.

David M. Brown's profile
118 followers