Day 16: Addict - What are four things you can’t do without?

My Project: 365 Creative Writing Prompts

Day 16: Addict. What are four things you can’t do without?

Have you ever given this some thought? Have you ever wondered what you wouldn’t be able to do without? I don’t mean food, water, smokes, alcohol, or drugs, I mean the more mundane things.

People

Could you live without people? Your first reaction might be ‘Oh yes, I could definitely do without them’. For a lot of people living on a deserted island is a much-coveted fantasy. And to a certain extent I agree, some people irritate me, annoy me or downright make my blood boil, but living without them ...

One of my favorite movies is ‘Cast Away’ with Tom Hanks and it really brings home the message how difficult and lonely life can be when one must survive on one’s own. Nobody to keep you company, nobody to talk to, nobody to share things with.

Living alone might be fine for a few days or even weeks, but indefinitely ... no, it would drive me crazy.

Animals

Could you live without animals? Imagine having to make do without the loyalty of a dog, the affection of a cat, hearing birdsong in the morning or the majestic beauty of a horse. For a lot of people, their pet – whatever that animal may be – is their best friend. It waits for them when they come home, it listens attentively without interrupting and never criticizes. An animal loves its owner, regardless of whether they wear couture or vintage, whether they wear makeup or not, whether they just returned from the salon or have a bad hair day. Whichever way you look at it, animals are our best friends.

Chocolate

I know I said we weren’t going to include food in this lineup, but chocolate isn’t really food, it’s candy. Personally, I’m not big on candy, I can take it or leave it, but chocolate is the exception. Chocolate makes everything better. Whether you’re at work or at home, inside or outside, happy or sad, a piece of chocolate is always welcome. Being from Belgium I consider myself a bit of a chocolate connoisseur and let me tell you, Jacques 3 x 4 is THE best chocolate in the world. Nowhere will you find richer, smoother, better chocolate. Not in Switzerland, not in Holland, nowhere.

Books

Books I couldn't do without either. Through stories, I meet thousands of people, learn about animals, visit places all over the world and get entangled in all kinds of emotions ranging from love to hate, friendship to betrayal, marriage to murder.

I can’t remember the first book I read, but since then I have read hundreds if not thousands. While some people cheer themselves up with buying clothes, shoes, makeup or something for the house, my go-to place when things are not as they should be, is the bookstore. The scent of paper and being surrounded by authors just waiting to introduce their characters to me never fails to lift my spirits.

While these days I shop online and download books to my Kindle, I miss real books. I miss holding a book in my hand, I miss turning pages, and I miss their intoxicating smell.

In many ways, books are like candy. Carefully selected, sampled and when chosen slowly savored.

These are my four things I couldn’t do without. What are yours?

Feel free to comment. I’d love to hear from you.

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