This prompt marks half-way through the writing course I’m participating in. Looking back over 2 weeks of writing, the one thing that I’m realizing is that the writing is helping me really integrate myself, Sara, and George together as a family more so than I did before. Not that I didn’t think we were a family, but we didn’t really have a chance to let everything sink in and really feel everything before I lost Sara, too. George died and Sara and I grieved together (& by our selves), but then a few weeks later she got really sick and everything went sideways and not long after I lost her too.
My writing is allowing me to grieve for both of them, together and separately, and to reflect on us all as individuals and in relationship to each other. Even if that’s not necessarily coming through like that in my writing, it’s going on in my head and in my heart. I don’t know if that even makes sense, but it’s what’s buzzing around my head right now.
I also didn’t realize that other people would find my writing helpful or useful in their own journeys. I started this as a way to just express myself and get it down on “paper” so that it’s not just cluttering up my head. It’s nice that I’ve gotten feedback from a few friends who’ve appreciated my writing and indicated that it’s actually helpful for them in their own grief.
I’m looking forward to seeing where the 2nd half of this writing experience takes me.