You’re told that an event that’s dear to your heart — an annual fair, festival, or conference — will be cancelled forever (or taken over by an evil organization). Write about it. For your twist, read your piece aloud, multiple times. Hone that voice of yours!

The sign by the boardwalk was tattered from the many years of use.  I smile, a feeling of peace washes over me as the waves echo in my ears.  Multiple times of renewal experienced by many people.  Would it be the same this time?

As I walk through the outer gate, something is different.  None of the usual decorations are up.  I wonder if I have come at the wrong time?  Perhaps the sign by the boardwalk was up from last year?  My hopes begin to dissolve as I see new signs up for another event.

Reflecting on all my past years of coming to this place that felt like home, a tear forms and falls like my hopes.  In its place, a political gathering.  Certainly there must be a mistake!  Suddenly another person comes up behind me.  “Did you used to go to that conference, too?”  A flicker of hope ignites in me – maybe this person knows what happened.  “They shut it down, due to it offending some people – too Christian.”  I could not believe my ears.  How could this happen in our free country, where we have freedom of religion and freedom of speech?

I politely thank my informant and crawl away, walking backward to get one last glimpse of what I remembered.  Do we just accept this silencing, or do I fight?  The answer is clear.  The memories of thousands of people worshiping God together could not be merely history, no it had to be available for future generations, too.  Setting aside the numbness, I begin to formulate a plan.   Apathy and acceptance cannot replace the joy, healing and fervency that were once here.  May it never be.