Theme: Grief Work and Healing Journey
MY MOM'S MEMORY JOURNAL:
April 8th, one month and three days after my mom passed away, I found a journal my mom was using to write down her life's memories. I had been looking for a keepsake journal that I knew she had, but I never found it. She must've gotten rid of it because she didn't care for the prompts but rather wanted to write whatever came to her mind instead.
The journal is almost half full of memories.
On the inside of the journal, she'd written:
"I am writing this journal to record any memory of my life when I remember some event.
"I hope this journal will be good reading someday."
I hadn't even known she was writing this journal; that's why I was looking for the other one. When I discovered it, I cried. It was a bittersweet moment. Bitter because I hadn't known. Sweet because I now had her handwritten memories of the times she felt were important.
I just this month scanned all of her hand-written pages and also typed them up by hand for side-by-side pages easier for readability. I did all of this for myself and so I could give copies to my siblings. I waited to make it easier on myself and my emotional state.
OUR STORY (KEEPSAKE JOURNAL):
Because I had been looking for my mom's keepsake journal, when I spotted a keepsake journal at the dollar store, I bought it without a second thought. Coincidentally, that was two days before I found my mom's journal.
So, I already had written down significant life memories from when I was a child and teen and young adult. Except, I wanted a prompt journal like this because you can share it with your family to allow them to add to it. I figured I could include my mom's memories and favorites, too. I can also share it with my significant other, if I ever have one. And maybe it'll get passed down to my nephews or niece or if I ever have kids.
I started to fill it out on Easter Sunday last year.
Filling out the pages helped me. It made me smile and brought me happiness because the memories were good ones.
D - Donating
E - Epistle (Letter from Heaven)
F - Facebook Posts
G - Grief Share
H - Haiku Poetry
I - Imari
J - Job (New Job)
K - Kitchen Time
L - Ladybug Rocks #LadyBugRocksFL
M - Miracle Moments
N - Nature
O - Our Story (Keepsake Journal)
Such beautiful gentle medicine...writing. I kept a journal for many years when I was younger but I'm so active on social media these days, and with all the books and stories I've written, I wouldn't know what to put in a journal.
ReplyDeleteI'm really enjoying your series on grief. It's warm and practical.
https://dacairns.com.au/blog/f/a-to-z-blogging-challenge-o
DA, I want you to know that I come to your blog daily, but there’s unfortunately no way for me to leave a comment on your posts. I wanted to let you know that I, not ignoring you. Your comments are appreciated, and I am visiting your blog.
DeleteThat is so sweet, especially what she wrote and to have it there in her handwriting is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteIt's great that you found hers when you did. It's nice to have her memories written down.
ReplyDelete