Ms. Eva Shaw is my creative writing professor. I am so grateful for all her advice, her encouragement, and for sharing her wisdom, passion and talent with all her students.
Ms. Eva Shaw,
Last year, I signed up for this class. You asked a very important question in, Chapter One: Introduction, Why write?
I asked myself throughout the whole writing journey, “Why and for whom do I want to write my life story for?”
I finished writing a draft of my life story at the end of last year.
During a weekend getaway at a cabin in Lake Geneva, I determined that my story was finished.
One cool night while my oldest daughter was preparing dinner and my sons were playing board games, I sat on the porch by the campfire with coffee in hand rereading my life story, finding no more possible edits, contently I knew, my work was done.
As I sat there alone, listening to my children’s happy playful laughter in the background, I resolved that the part of my life story I had written about, was only meant for me, for my journey of self-reflection, healing and personal growth.
I began to toss page by page of my story into the fire, sharing only with the universe, my darkest of secrets and the most traumatic experiences that helped shape the woman I am today.
The word that best describes the feeling I felt as I watched each page burn, is FREE.
Six months later, I am retaking your writing class, trying to answer the same question.
Throughout this course I’ve written about my father who had a heart attack the last week of June. My father passed away in this, my 6th week of class, and all I can think about is how grateful I am for all the lessons that I learned from both my parents, from my own choices both triumphs and mistakes, and from everyday life.
This is what my story should be about.
Not about the traumatic experience I lived, but writing about the lessons I’ve learned from surviving such an experience.
I should write about my culture, my family, the power of the unconditional love we share. That love that is so powerful that we can forgive, laugh and move forward united no matter the long distance between us.
Like the first story I wrote, I will use the bubble method to choose my title and chapters, then sketch out the characters in the story (there are new characters beside family), I will map out my outline, set a writing schedule for reaching my goal deadline.
Once again I will write as only I know how open, transparent, with my heart on my sleeve.
A Martin Luther King Jr. quote reads, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.”
I choose to keep lighting that candle in the darkness. I choose to forgive and love.
So inspirational, Thank you so much
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