Uncanny Blessings

I wrote this in my journal on July 29th, 2026 – 

Yesterday I received an email that Carolyn Elliot died. No reason for death was given — just that she died. I felt slippery — like I was falling but not touching the ground. Sliding without weight. 

The news was weird and shocking and unreal.

I read Carolyn’s book Existential Kink during the pandemic. Oh – it helped! Her podcasts were a hoot – her delicious contagious audacity gave me the courage to not be perfect, to laugh at myself (come on! come on!), and to have fun taking chances, no matter how highly sensational and terrifying life can feel. 

It’s July 31st now. I’m aware autumn is coming. The last few days I’ve felt out-of-step, a bit shadowy. Something next is about to happen, something unknown and needed right around the corner. I learned Carolyn took her own life, which has had me feeling sad and fluttery — as if doom were a butterfly in a cage and the door just opened up. 

My website has a behind-the-scenes feature in which it shows me what “on this day” in past years. I don’t always look, but today I did. It turns out, on July 31st, 2024, I posted a writing prompt quote by Carolyn Elliot that goes, “What, the fact that we’re all gonna die isn’t funny enough for you?”  On July 31, 2025, a quote by Caroline W. Casey says, “Let’s honor the dead by inviting the best in them to live through us…”

Wow! Thank you Universe. Come on! Come on!

Rest in Power Carolyn Elliot.
January 16, 1984 to July 25th, 2026.
Om shanti.

January 31, 2026
Witch City

Prompt

from July 31st, 2024

“What, the fact that we’re all gonna die isn’t funny enough for you?” – Carolyn Elliot, PhD – Existential Kink

This quote is from the Seventh Chakra in the Chakra Quote Project.

image: party lights © holly troy july 2024

Prompt

From July 31st, 2025

“Let’s honor the dead by inviting the best in them to live through us…” — Caroline W. Casey

This quote is from the First (Root) Chakra in the Chakra Quote Project.

image: night barn © holly troy 2025

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On Writing

Breathe the sentence in. Exhale the sentence. Inhale and exhale each word. Now inhale and exhale the sentence. Then, go!

There is only one rule, keep your hand moving.

Don’t worry about grammar, spelling, or punctuation. If you feel stuck, keep writing anyway. Try going back to the prompt and write it out until other words arise, then write those—or, repeat the last word you wrote again and again until new words appear—or, write, “I am stuck,” or “I can’t think of anything,” as long as you keep your hand moving. Writing is physical, the words will move through your body and come out of your hand—just keep it moving. 

Now go – for five, ten, fifteen minutes . . 

Share, if you like

When you are done, feel free to share your work in the comments – or share on your own blog. Consider including a link to this post if you do.