Itching For More: Reparation Eulogy
Every Wednesday, even if I go out for a walk and lose track of time because the stars were out and hey, it’s not often there’s a clear sky, Itching For More shall be written. This week, Writing Prompt: Reparation Eulogy
Reparation Eulogy is a “writing experience” by Bafta nominated Jim Bruges. Usually, I cover walking simulators or interactive poetry, something that gives you a moment and lets you live it. Whilst a writing prompt may not sound like that, Reparation Eulogy does just that.
You are tasked with writing your last words, limited to the amount of footsteps you have left. In many senses, it is not so much focused on summarising your life, but rather giving a meaningful lesson or message to those who still live, something that you got out of life that says “This. This is what you need to know”.
The parallax backgrounds mixed with the DIY art style and the voiceover and ambient music really help set the tone and the mood, giving you the opportunity to write something that perhaps you wouldn’t write under usual circumstances. Each word, each letter counts, once it is written, you may delete it but you may not take a step backwards — each thought, each word is a last thought or memory, a step towards the next life, not a step backwards.
Your words appear behind you, symbolic as they are the only things you will leave behind. What I really loved about it was the permanence of it all, the fact that the game seemed so ready, so eager to let you write and almost make you think and write something meaningful, something that you would be proud of. Once you reach the end however, just like life, you can’t go back. Even if you were in the middle of a sentence, your journey, and thus your message is over, irreversible and final.
“I’m unsure of what to write for such a significant moment and topic. Whilst I have many things in life I love I think perhaps the most important lesson I learnt (probably from Christianity) is do unto others as you would do unto yourself. This is something that I feel if everyone just stopped and thought about, everyone just thought and said “Hey. If I did this, the world would be better”. And then,”
They were my words. Unchanged, written without a plan, without knowing what I was getting into, Reparation Eulogy did what it set out to do — made me write something that somehow, could possibly make up for some of the wrongs I have done on this Earth. It’s thoughtful and well put together and even if you are not a writer I would recommend it, simply for the 5 minutes it takes. It forces you to think, places you in a situation that we would usually only live once and lets you pour your heart out.
Reparation Eulogy is pay what you want, available here.
