When Tragedy Strikes, Write

In light of the recent Charleston tragedy, I wanted to take a moment to reveal writing as a healing agent.

This week, communities around South Carolina and the nation are reeling at the horrible massacre that happened at the church in Charleston.  The tragedy is beyond explanation, and many are seeking answers to something unanswerable.

When tragedy strikes, it's a good time to sit down and write.

I'm not talking about fictionalizing the event and making an entertaining story out of it.

For now, I'm talking about searching for emotional healing through writing.  Working through tough questions, anger, and sorrow on paper.

I have been advised numerous times by counselors and people in leadership who are not writers to use the pen to release my frustrations.

There is something very healing about the release of emotions on a page. 

On more than one occasion, writing has helped me work through very difficult and dark times in my relationships.  Instead of blasting another person with my anger, I took it out on the paper. And somehow, I felt like I had released enough of it to move forward with forgiveness and work out whatever the problem regardless of whether the person even apologized.

Here is a disclaimer about writing to release anger: if you do this, be sure to throw it away.  It will do no good to show it to the person.

The events of this week have stirred up much anger.  I'm angry that someone would do something so heinous.  But instead of publicly attacking the killer, it would be best to attack the page and then throw it away.  Keeping rage circulating is only going to stir the pot further, possibly even causing others to retaliate violently.  Yes, of course we want justice, but that will come eventually and not by our hands.

We don't want retaliation.  We want healing.

It's inevitable that we will all face loss.  Loss is especially hard if it's unexpected like what many are facing this week.

I've found that poetry and journaling helped me to express those sorrowful feelings that I couldn't express verbally.  Once it was out on paper, it felt like I was released more and more from my grief each time.  Whenever depression tries to creep back in, I have found that expressing my feelings through writing helps to curb those hopeless feelings.

Take note that I'm not saying I walked away completely healed in each of these instances.  However, on the road to complete healing, writing has been extremely instrumental.   And I believe it can be for you.

If you are struggling, even if you are not a writer, try to use writing to find healing this week.  Your anger, grief, or sorrow may be totally unrelated to the shooting.  It doesn't matter.

Here are five ways to use writing to deal with tragedy:

1. Freewrite all your thoughts and words.  Let it all out.  This doesn't have to be in complete sentences.  Write anything and everything until you feel you are done. 
2. Write a letter to the offending person.  As long as you don't plan to give it to him or her, freely write all your feelings and emotions in letter form.
3. Try poetry.  Think of an image, such as a familiar object or a nature scene, that expresses how you are feeling and use figurative language to bring that image to life.  Use words that reflect your current emotions.
4. Journal your daily thoughts and emotions.  Take time each day while you are experiencing tragedy or loss to write it out in a journal.  Reread your entries occasionally to see your progress.  
5. Write a letter to the lost loved one.  Tell him or her everything you wished you had done or said and work out unresolved issues.

I'm not going to promise that writing will heal all of your wounds, but I can tell you that it will help you on your road to healing.

How have you used writing to find healing?  Tell me your story below.