Tuesday, December 8, 2015

For December 8th

Letters (Tess')

Letters can be soooo therapeutic and productive. I use letter writing to get thoughts off of my chest. I don't them. I've also thought about writing a collection of poems that are to people. Many poems are directed to someone who isn't the reader, now that I think of it. I have also used letters to convey my feelings to someone--like I actually deliver them. It's been very helpful because for me, on the page I can take my time. 
I think there is a romantic aspect to letters. To sum up everything in a couple paragraphs or pages is, in a way, a grand gesture. I hope letters are always used because e-mails, in a way, invite a too-rapid response. The response, many times, does not have to be rapid because the letter-writing has given the release. 
The card, also, is a shorter form of the letter. The card is not as grand, however, is noted for its understated nature.


Cathartic (Aimee's)

There's no doubt writing can help heal, especially when people's voices are silenced, like veterans. I really liked how the vets said they write so the guy next to them understands. This takes the form of writing not just as a solo cathartic thing, but also as a venue for others to feel as well. I really admire that intention. 
In the second article, I liked how the author laid out options for what to do with a very emotional piece, and my favorite is the one that says to wait. So what if in today's world communication is fast-- some things deserve time. I've found that I write about the same thing (we briefly talked about this with the alumna who skyped with us) several times-- and in different forms-- until I get it right. And when I do feel like I hit the nail, I feel very relieved. It's, funny, too, because I try to date everything, and sometimes I'll find a scrap of paper that talks about this "thing," but it was years before I finished the "final" piece. Even though that scrap of paper has a one-dimensional or fuzzy take on the "thing," it's still a look in time of my mind at that time. It's still a part of the story.

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