Former U.S. presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson used to be hot rivals but became close friends later in life. In fact, for the last twelve years of their lives, they wrote to each other almost daily. In one letter about a year before his death, Jefferson wished the ailing Adams “nights of rest” and “days of tranquility.”
Near the end of their lives, they wrote to each other that they wanted something very special. Do you know what they wanted?
They wanted to live to see the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence—the 50th 4th of July, if you will. It was important to them to see that the new nation reached the landmark birthday of fifty years old, for they believed that if their new republic of America could make it to fifty years old, it had a chance of surviving for years to come.
Both men made it to the nation’s 50th birthday, but only just. They both died on July 4, 1826! You can read more about it here.
Now it’s your turn: What are you waiting for? What in your future are you longing to see happen? Be specific. Make a list, write a paragraph, craft a personal narrative, or write a short story.
Find this writing prompt and 68 more in the eBook What Are You Waiting For? >>
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Are your writers struggling? Do you wish you could figure out why your children won’t write? Would you love to have a peaceful writing class experience?
Help your struggling writers—and you!—by identifying five hurdles to writing. Then learn practical actions you can take against those hurdles.
This article by me in The Old Schoolhouse magazine is also loaded with links to other helpful posts that will give you and your writers some welcome relief.
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Frustrated that your students don’t finish an essay or don’t know the steps to complete one? Worry no more! Click here for my latest article in The Informer about a super-practical writing schedule you WILL use!
