There are a lot of negative things going on in the world today, it seems. There is a constant influx of cynicism, of news stories, of elegies. For those who died too young, too old, in an unfair way. For the way that we are treated, are not treated, treat others, or treat the earth. We are constantly having to balance what we perceive with how we feel, what we put off. How do we survive when we are surrounded by elegies?
I write.
Writing can allow for an outflux of feeling that people may not want to show to others. It allows for expression, for this ebb, flow, and release of emotion. This release does not necessarily mean letting go, but letting the hurt, anger, or sadness we feel and allowing it to be expressed and understood. Even if the only thing that understands is the pen you use to write it.
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
But writing does not have to always be negative.
Looking back on positive times can lead to positive emotions in the future. It can help when feeling overwhelmed, when feeling like there is only negative, only things pulling you deeper instead of lifting you up. It is a reminder that we deserve happiness, even when we feel so low or so overwhelmed that we begin to think otherwise.
Not everyone loves to write. For me, though, writing is a way to help feel the emotions I feel; it allows me to be transparent with the pain, the joy, and everything in between that I feel. I use it as an escape and anchor, and as a way to continue through life without the weight of the world on my shoulders.