More on Writing

Writing is good for the soul. There is even a college major dedicated to writing for catharsis and teaching other people to write for cathartic reasons. People spend their lives writing in journals that they know nobody will ever read, just because it feels good to get their thoughts out onto paper. I used to fill journals with all of my deepest thoughts, my worries, my tiny everyday happinesses. If it feels good, write.

If you miss someone, one of the best ways to deal with those feelings of loss is to write about the person. Or, write to that person. I mentioned in a previous post that I used to write letters to my mother detailing all of the things I would have told her had she been alive. Write lists- lists of places you could go together, books that person would like to read, foods they might like, etc. My mom was a great cook, and my friend Molly had a blog dedicated to recipes, and my mom would have loved to read about what new recipes Molly is coming up with. Write about things you remember that you did together. "I'll never forget the time we had a picnic in the Weis Markets parking lot when you locked the keys in the car..." Write about things that you wish you had told them. "I wish I had told you about the first time I tried alcohol and it turned into a big disaster and ou house got egged..." Write about things you miss about the person. "I really miss the way you can think of something good about everyone, and put a positive spin on every situation..." Tell them something you never told them when they were alive. "You'll never believe this, but I am really scared of being a mother..."

Believe me, I know that it sounds silly, but writing to a person that is gone will really help you to feel closer to them. Just find a nice comfy spot to curl up in. I find that I am more apt to write when I have the perfect type of paper and the perfect pen. I like moleskine notebooks of all shapes and sizes and RSVP pens. I wish they had RSVP pens in England! Whatever you use, just sit down and try writing to the person you miss. I promise it will help.