To Write Is to Rest by Alan Anderson

 

My post in January reflected on “rest” as my word for 2020. Words from the book of Matthew helped plan my thoughts.

 

 Matthew 11: 28-29—"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

 

Here is part of what I said in my January post. 

 

“I admit the yoke of the world, its ways of life, can weigh me down. This yoke is too much and difficult to bear. These days, with so much sin, confusion and disorder being tolerated, I want to fade away. My thoughts taunt me by saying I don’t feel safe and I don’t fit in. The temptation to find a place to run away can be a difficult invitation to resist.”

 

Now, as the end of the year draws closer, rest is still a need. I admit as I write this post; I am tired.

 

I am tired:

• ·       Tired of not being with my family
• ·       Tired of my church family being split up for now
• ·       Tired COVID-19 cases increase daily here in British Columbia
• ·       Tired of a consequence of my diagnosis of extreme obstructive sleep apnea continues to affect my ability to concentrate
• ·       Tired of Zoom meetings and events because I find them a challenge to concentrate on
• ·       Tired of people and their agitation toward healthcare professionals
• ·       Tired of not being able to sit in a coffee shop and people watch and write
• ·       I am tired of noting things that cause my tiredness

 

I find the reality of rest found in God is a process. I am getting there, but I have not arrived. Matthew 11:28-29 speaks to me. The promised words embrace my soul. “…I will give you rest… you will find rest for your souls.” The words remind me of my deep need and a promised gentle rest. This is not an elusive emotional longing, but a stated result of an honest heart after God.

 

Throughout this tumultuous year I can still laugh, rest, love, and write. I relate several of my writing projects to emotional healing. I wrote a four-part series on writing as healing for InScribe’s, FellowScript Magazine. This offered time to reflect on the power of writing to be an aid to emotional healing. I also began a writing project that has been brewing in my mind for years. I mentioned this in my August 22 InScribe post (Plant Them a Garden: A Work of Reflection and Poetry by Alan Anderson). I look forward to sending this book into the world in 2021, Lord willing.

 

God has given me the privilege and call to be a writer. I write to give people hope in the presence of grief and hardship. I find rest when I write. I hope what I write gives God pleasure. I am tired and I have found rest.

 

InScribe family of writers, in what way does what you write impact your life?

 

 

 

https://scarredjoy.ca/

Plant Them a Garden: A Work of Reflection and Poetry by Alan Anderson

 

 

This year I have the privilege of writing a series of articles for our FellowScript magazine. The articles highlight the theme of writing as healing. Since I began exploring this theme, it has cuddled its way into my heart.

 

 

My exploration of writing as healing brought me to a new love for poetry. Writing poems has been a tremendous source of comfort and healing as I recover from a personal health challenge this year. This caused me to slow life down.

 

 

2020 has taken my writing into a direction I have entertained for years but never entered. Through consultation with a few trusted writer friends, I am ready to unleash my writing beyond my previous boundaries. Poetry will be a highlight of the project I am working on now.

 

 

I like to read a wide selection of poetry as I develop this piece. This includes seventeenth-century poets like John Donne, to the intense style of Sylvia Plath, to more contemporary poets like Joshua Jordan. Poetry motivated by actual life inspires me regardless of its historical context.

 

 

My writing project for 2020/21 is a personal journey. I am dedicating it to my five grandchildren in heaven. I had been working on a fictional story to highlight the theme of grandparent grief. The more I thought of the theme, I sensed a pull toward poetry and prose and not a fictional story. I am calling this project, “Plant Them a Garden: a Work of Reflection and Poetry.”

 

 

Here are a few cursory points on what poetry means to me.

 

 

Poetry helps me listen

When I worked as a chaplain in healthcare I developed sharper listening skills than I had before. In spiritual care work the art of listening is essential. One cannot be an empathic presence without listening to people. Writing a poem helps me listen to the message within me.

 

 

 Poetry is intimate

The intimacy of poetry is what I love about it. As a poet I can get up close and personal with the words I want to convey. Poetry can be as honest and real as the poet wants it to be. Writing poetry helps slow life down and allows my thoughts to caress my mind. A slower pace helps me focus on the message of the poem.

 

 

Poetry helps me reflect on life.

I learn about myself through poetry. Poems help reveal how I interact and relate with the world. Ideas for poems run through my mind often. My poems focus on real life and touch on matters of the heart.

 

 

Poetry has purpose

There is intent and a reason behind every poem. 

Writing poetry eases the weights within me about life. My prayer is my poetry will find its way into hearts longing for peace and a pathway to hope.

 

 

Poetry has meaning

Writing poems cause me to think on a deep level about the words written. A hope I have for my poems is they will cause an emotional response in readers. I pray the messages of my poems are meaningful to my readers.

 

 

Grandparent grief is often overlooked and hidden. To see life through the eyes of grandparent grief is a unique perspective. I hope to give a voice to this hidden grief through, Plant Them A Garden: a Work of Reflection and Poetry.

 

 

Plant Them A Garden: a Work of Poetry, has been in my mind for years. I approach this project prepared to lay my soul bare with deep and personal thoughts on life. My prayer is it will be a source of comfort and healing for grandparents (and parents) who grieve the death of children they love.

 

 

https://scarredjoy.ca/