Journal 6

Prompt

Since you have basically been locked up with only the people you are living with, this is a great chance for you to get to know them better. This journal entry has three steps (and two alternative assignments listed at the bottom):

1. Watch/listen to (some don’t have animation) at least three of these stories (they are all about 2 minutes long).

https://storycorps.org/animation/a-wonderful-life/

https://storycorps.org/animation/my-father-the-giant/

https://storycorps.org/stories/thompson-williams-and-kiamichi-tet-williams-171222/

https://storycorps.org/animation/albert-and-aidan-sykes/

https://storycorps.org/animation/bonnie-and-myra-brown/

https://storycorps.org/stories/anna-freeman-and-brianna-freeman-171229/

2. Sit down and have a conversation with someone you live with (your journal entry is going to be your response to this conversation). You don’t need to write down their answers (although you’re free to jot notes if you’d like). Mostly, I just want you to talk and listen. Some ideas to ask them:

   1. Ask them what they think of you. What is your best quality? What do you have in common with this person? What does this person think you have taught them? What trait do you have that that person wishes they had more of? What do they wish for you for when you get older? What do they think you'll do when you get older?

   2. Ask them to share something about themselves that they haven't shared before. What is their hope for their own future? What do they think is their best quality? What are they most proud of in their life so far? Is there anything they wished they had done in their life so far?

   3. Ask them for a memory with you that they might not have shared before.

   4. Ask them - if you could ask me any question in the world, what would it be?

Step 3: When you are done, for your 500-word journal entry, write down a reflection on that conversation. How did you feel after that conversation? What stood out to you? What surprised you? What was the best part of the conversation? What was the worst?

**Alternatively, you could record your conversation and make a short "Storycorps"-like video

** Or you could make a short documentary on that person.

*** If you do not live with anyone you could have a conversation with about this, you can watch all of the storycorps videos above and write a response to those (and then feel free to go back into writing about your day-to-day life).