Writing Helps Process Loss
Writing Tool
I was reminded as I read Jon Swanson’s post about Fran how important it is to many of us to be able to write about our losses. Jon’s post in turn reminded me of a recent post by Jeremy Barrett about the tragic death of his friend.
For many of us, writing is an important part of how we process life. It’s how we get the stuff swirling around inside to make sense. It’s how we express what’s in our hearts. It often brings clarity. It’s part of sensemaking because of the way we’re wired.
We are people who can hardly wait to be able to sit down and write about something that’s going on in our lives, something that needs words that can be seen. With the advent of blogs, this is where we often do our writing. That has the additional benefit of allowing others to share what we’re feeling, to see into our hearts, to see into the lives of those we’re losing or have lost.
I understood immediately where Jon was today when he twittered about figuring out why he was tired today — a good friend was dying. I also understood when he added that he would write about it soon.
Does writing work for you? How do you process loss?
DandyID
Twitter
Flickr
Facebook
Plaxo
Linkedin
“We are people who can hardly wait to be able to sit down and write about something that’s going on in our lives, something that needs words that can be seen.”—so, so true! I cannot tell you the number of times I have sat at my computer, composing, with tears trickling (or streaming) down my face. Sometimes at the end of it, I am totally spent–but the emotion, the loss, has been offloaded and packed into those words I have written and I have been able to sort things out onthe blank page/screen. And, so often in those times, when I go back and read, I can see that God was speaking to my heart and spirit even as those thoughts and feelings were becoming word-shaped. The same is true for journaling with pen and paper.
I should add that, sometimes, the word processing of loss is preceded by a huge deep can’t-come-from-any-deeper sob that opens the floodgates to get the emotional lump that renders me incapable of anything out of the way.
Wow, Amy! Your comments demonstrate another way that blogging is beneficial. Other people can interact with what you’ve written and take it to another level! Thanks.
After John Robert died I wrote whatever came to mind. I did have friends who thought I might be sorry about that later, being so open in such a public way. I haven’t gone back to re-read those posts. I will one day. But for now, there is some soul connection that happens when thoughts pass through a keyboard to become a readable reality. And there is some small comfort there.
I think that is one of the great benefits to writing, John — we don’t know exactly what’s going to come out until we begin writing. Then it’s there where we can see it and move on, whether we ever go back to look at it or not. Thanks for coming by!