MR Writers Club Prompt: The Apple and the Tree

I recently listened to an Invisibilia podcast about how we all, on some small level, are much more connected to one another than we realize.

It explored the phenomenon of quantum entanglement, which is where “two things that are separated in space can still be the same thing,” according to NPR’s “physics guy” Geoff Brumfiel. So, if there is an atom in California, and it’s entangled with an atom in New York, then theoretically whatever happens to the California atom happens at the exact same moment to the New York atom.

IDK you guys, it’s fucking crazy.

One of the episode’s main subjects was a women who experiences “mirror touch,” a kind of synesthesia where she feels what others feel on a very real, visceral level. She’s entangled with everyone. Somehow. If she watches someone get slapped, she feels the slap. If she watches someone eat, it’s like the food is in her mouth, too. If she watches someone get hugged, she feels the hug.

But we all experience this on some small scale. If a non-annoying couple kisses, we think, “Aw.” If someone does something awkward on American Idol, we feel their embarrassment second-hand and may need to change the channel.

I think that’s why moms seem to know everything. On some freaky universal playing field, at least a few of our atoms are entangled.

Read: we apples are way closer to the tree than we’d like to believe.

All of which is just one big windup for the next writer’s prompt. In honor of Mother’s Day this Sunday, May 10, write about that special connection with your mom. It can be funny or sweet or sad or whatever, because all of our experiences are different. Not all of you have a technical-mom, of course, so write about whomever “that person” is to you: the one who somehow knows you’re lying even though you’re in another country. (HOW? HOW!?)

Send your mom-song in 500 words or less to write@manrepeller.com by Thursday, May 14, 12 PM EST. Yes, the chosen story will run a whole week after Mother’s Day, but so what? It’s about your mom. She’ll love it no matter what.

For past MR Writers Club prompts and entries, click here. But also, did someone say…mom jeans?