Writing Through Grief
In my personal experience, I have found that writing as you move through the grieving process can be very difficult and emotional, but it is also extremely therapeutic and sometimes comforting.
My life changed dramatically when my little brother, Charlie, was diagnosed with leukemia the day after he turned sixteen. Sixty-two days later, he passed away. It was devastating.
The day after Charlie's services were held, I pulled out his composition notebook he had been writing in since his diagnosis. I also started watching hours of footage of Charlie in the hospital. You see, I had made a promise to Charlie. No matter what the outcome of the situation, life or death, I would help Charlie tell his story to inspire and give strength to others. If he lived, we would compile all of the footage of his hospital experience and create a documentary. If he passed away, I would write his story for him.
It took me about six months to finish writing his story, officially titled, Through Charlie's Eyes. In the process of writing my little brother's story, I went back through and re-hashed every moment of the emotional roller coaster ride his cancer diagnosis took us on, but this time, I was experiencing all of it from his perspective. There were times in this writing process when my tears soaked the paper I was writing on and the pages in Charlie's journal. However, by the end of the process, I felt even closer to Charlie than I had ever felt before. I had gained a better understanding of this event that had dramatically changed the path of all of our lives, Charlie's, our families and mine.
I don't believe that the grieving process ever really ends. A day will never come when you don't miss your loved ones that have already passed on. However, acceptance and understanding can help you keep moving forward with strength and hope and writing can help give you that.
Through Charlie's Eyes is published by Ambassador International and is being released on Charlie's birthday, October 30, 2009.
Published by Laken Lovely
Laken Lovely is a freelance writer and focuses much of her time on her position as the director of the LiveLovely Foundation, to help raise funds and awareness for childhood cancers and the adolescent and yo... View profile
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