DTBWRITES: Writing Is Therapeutic

Writing Is Good for the Soul

Writing is therapeutic.

Growing up, whenever I wanted to address a tender subject but were too afraid to verbally express it, I would write a letter to my mom or dad and stick it under their pillow.  A few times with my dad, he would call me in his room and have me say it.  That defeated the purpose!  If it felt comfortable talking about it, I would have! LOL!

My mom, though, would play the game with me.  I would write the letter, usually with my door closed, and then start scribbling.  Then I’d wait until she got on the phone or preoccupied with more serious matters and I’d bomb rush her room, and tuck the letter under her pillow.

I guess with her being an English teacher, Mom welcomed my choice for writing and saw it as another form of communication.  What she would do was respond with a letter, and — just like I did — use my pillow as a mailbox.  I can think of countless, teen-aged issues I discussed by letter that never got verbalized.  We just went about our days as though the topic had never come up.

Knowing that I didn’t have to talk about it made me feel a lot better.  I can’t remember what in particular I wrote about.  I don’t think it was about sex or drugs or anything like that.  She would have said something I know!  I found that with writing it, I had the time to get everything out and say what I really felt.  Sometimes in conversation, you can leave some things out, especially when you’re nervous.  You can go back and restate it at that time instead of wondering if you said all that you meant.

Writing has carried me a long way.  I remember writing the sports section of my hometown newspaper, The Jackson Independent.  I even wrote the director of food services of my school district because we kept running out of food!  LOL!  Yes, I did!  I think all of my schoolmates signed that petition letter.  In college, I majored in mass communication, and with my careers in television news and public relations, I have had to do a great deal of writing.  I’ve been credited by my bosses, teachers, colleagues, and friends that I’m a good writer.  It’s an art to it, and I am daily trying to master it.

My Aunt Mae, who taught me English at Grambling, always says “A doctor buries his mistakes, but a writer’s are there for the world to see.”  Keeping this in mind, I’ve always tried to make sure I proofread my writing when I knew it would be out in the open.  Like right now. LOL!

I was moved to write after reading an entry by a former colleague of mine.  I read his blog that talked about his losing his parents at a young age.  It moved me how eloquently he talked about how he wouldn’t be able to spend Thanksgiving — or any holiday, for that matter — with them.  It’s tough just thinking about not seeing my mom on Thanksgiving!  Verbalizing that likely would bring about tears, but writing it, he could explain it using the most intricate words.  He did it effortlessly, it seems.

So, here’s to a glimpse into my world.  I hope you enjoy.

And — by all means — pick up a pen and paper (or computer) and start writing!

You may just feel better!

Happy scribbling!

-dtb-

Originally written November 24, 2014