When my students are starting to write short stories, I tell them an easy way to come up with creative ideas is to ask themselves the question, “What if?”

What if…an asteroid was about to hit the earth?

What if…you have an accident that changes everything?

What if…you wake up and it’s 75 years in the past?

You get the point.

The what if? scenario has created many central conflicts in stories throughout time.

Tonight, I find myself with some of my own what if? scenarios running through my head, albeit much less impactful than the ones that guide great literature and storytelling:

What if…middle school students were suddenly all thoughtful, organized, time-managing experts who were excited to absorb knowledge and embraced each school day with enthusiasm?

What if…my dog could stop stepping in his own shit whenever he goes outside?

What if…I set my alarm clock for the time I actually know I’m going to get up instead of an hour earlier than that time knowing full well I’m going to hit snooze a million and a half times?

What if…I stopped putting off getting gas until tomorrow? (because you know I’ll feel more like pumping it in the dark, freezing cold, early morning hours when I’m running late due to over-snooze-buttoning it.)

What if…I wasn’t so prematurely elderly that I could barely stay up late enough to watch the state of the union address?

What if…I never thought I’d hear myself say that I would be purposefully watching the state of the union address?