Writing: how it became my life vest then, eventually, a habit of my imagination
I was in India last summer when I received shocking news that a close friend committed suicide. I found myself emotionally distraught in unfamiliar terrain, both physically and mentally.
When confronted with difficult situations, I instinctively consult close friends and family members. A lesson I’ve learned in recent years is that it is healthier to express myself — or at least, try — when issues arise instead of letting everyday (and seemingly extraordinary) frustrations aggravate. Similarly, I lend an ear to my friends and family experiencing challenges of their own. It has broadened my perspective, and I’d like to think it has made me a better listener and a more empathetic friend. Being part of such a support system has been crucial in my personal and professional growth, especially in college.
However, during my six weeks in India, I lived across the world with limited access to my typical support network, making this approach harder to carry out. Perhaps even with the comfort of family, I would have felt just as lost and confused as I was at the time. Despite occupying myself with work in India, my mind was clouded with questions. I had a brief conversation with her only months ago. Why had I not noticed her pain? Was she reaching out for help?
I prided myself on being a perceptive confidant yet I felt I let down a dear friend.
That’s when I started to employ writing as a coping mechanism. Whenever I felt overwhelmed and alone with my thoughts, I would jot everything down in a diary as a way to deliberate with myself. By actively examining my thoughts, I was able to sort through my feelings and grieve freely. I spoke with my family back home whenever possible, but I started to become an important player in my own support network through writing. It quickly became an invaluable tool that I continue to use when I notice myself getting tangled in a web of thoughts and obligations.
Since that trip to India, I continue to explore the therapeutic benefits of writing in its many forms — genres such as fiction, nonfiction memoirs, and screenplays allow me to reflect on my identity, dreams, and imagination in unique ways.
A crowded mind is no longer a burden, but rather a world of possibilities that comes to life when I put pen to paper.
Thanks for reading Writers Guild — A Smedian publication
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