What does the process of writing mean to you?

Writing—or the process of writing—is the constant capturing of moments, emotions, memories, vignettes of life. Small pieces of the world and your interaction within it that you don’t want to forget. As if by writing them down they’ll be saved forever.

As I write my memories or emotions, or processing where I’ve been and am going, there are so many fine moments to capture. So many instances or engagements I don’t want to forget. A friend called these “near life experiences”. He was right. About many things.

They represent the actions of being human and of having connected with people in a way that is largely unexpected. Some connections are people I know, but a great many of them come to me from different places and unexpected ways. I’m grateful that they’ve found this site and found support and respite in the information or the messages shared.

Had this time of cancer not stopped me and given me a new direction, would I have had these interesting experiences? Would the days seem the same and my expectations of time be any different?

This has been difficult but it’s also been enlightening. The outcome is becoming a key to how I need to read this into my coming years. This circumstance doesn’t define me but it has re-defined what things means to me.

So why do I write? Why do I record the moments, events, ups and downs, pieces of this experience? Because as Suleika Jaouad* said in one of her posts—”They lift and carry us from day to day. Noting these joys is a muscle I’ve been consciously trying to exercise; training the eye to see them and training the mind to hold on to them.”

And so this is what I do — never to lose track of these incredible moments in time. Remaining conscious and aware of the changes and seeing the joy in the every-day.

*Between Two Kingdoms, Suleika Jaouad, 2021