From isolation frustration to an appreciation for solitude, this pandemic has created a new way of life for many people. In some instances, we are seeing creativity flourish. And new experiences, which may never again take place, are deserving of documentation. From the excitement of zoom graduations to the sadness of loved ones dying alone, it is a time of both gratitude and grief. Writing a mini-memoir, a short remembrance, during this time is an opportunity to appreciate what one has lost and what one has gained or learned during this crisis.
Applying the basics of a news story, it is easy to begin crafting your mini-memoir. Essentially start with what you can describe in simple terms.
- Who are you? (My 17-year-old niece, who missed out on graduation celebrations, will describe herself differently than a 47 year-old person who cannot visit a parent in a nursing home. One will miss out on graduation joy while another suffers from the grief of knowing a loved one died alone. Describing oneself is important because it conveys a sense of who you are.
- What do you feel as you begin writing? Just simple words. Joyful, Angry, Sad, Confused. Tired. Bored.
- What are you feeling as you decide to write this? Explain what is happening in your life today or this past week or months that triggered the feelings you now have.
- When did you start feeling a need to scream? Think in terms of isolation or taking a chance with a crowd to protest.
- Where are you now as you begin to write? Date and place. Sitting in a living room on this sunny, rainy, or cloudy day? On a park bench? Perhaps you are at an outdoor cafe that has just opened or in your own backyard.
- What was your life like before COVID-19?
- What is your life like now?
- What do you miss most about life before the pandemic?
- What will you be doing differently going forward?
- Name three moments or discoveries of gratitude.
Now is the time to decide on your audience?
Are you writing this for yourself to review at some point in the future?
Is it for your children, grandchildren, or a loved one?
Will it be part of a time capsule that your town is planning?
The writing process is a way to survey our feelings, take hold of them, and move them onto a page. In doing so, we have a chance to explore these feelings. It is like photographing a room from different angles. The same room looks different depending upon where you are standing. The views become different. views. Let writing transform you and help you with the challenges you are experiencing. And be grateful that you are able to listen to the voice within yourself to help you find perspective, to document, and to look forward to happier days.
Copyright 2020 Rita Watson