A Gratitude Reminder

and overleaf…

When tomorrow comes today will be gone forever.

I hope I will not regret the price I paid for it.

(Ruth Spearing)

I’ve had such a time of anxiety this past fortnight visualizing what could happen during a pending medical procedure I’m waiting for that I felt in need of spiritual support.

I sometimes read ‘Pick Me Up’ when I’m struggling to calm myself. It’s a small pamphlet containing Psalms for anxious times which was produced free by Uckfield Baptist Church during the Covid pandemic in 2020.

I opened one of its pages and came across the above bookmark by Ruth Spearing and decided to use her words as a daily practice to thank God for each day.

A simple yet effective mark of gratitude for the gift of life.

The bookmark has taken up residence in my diary, which I open daily, to remind me to be in the present day and not dwell in the past or on what the future may bring.

Of course, it’s easier said than done.

Especially if you are a writer!

Looking back on the past is a natural thing for writers when researching a project they are working on. Incorporating factual information into a story gives it authenticity and can convey the impression that the whole story is true (even though it may be fictional). The research adds layers of interest to the writing which can enhance the reading experience of the intended audience.  

Likewise, personal memories play an important part too as writers tend to draw on their own experiences and emotional responses to situations to communicate to their audience, which adds an even deeper layer to the story.

It life writing (memoir) in particular, it’s impossible not to look back at the past though we can still remain grounded because we are present in the act of writing about it and can focus on what we’re doing in the moment of doing it.

Looking back to the beginning and forward to the end of a personal life story is not limited to writers. It applies to all people as we become older. We refer to the past as ‘the good old days’ but were they? Really? A touch of nostalgia for the way things were is inevitable as we see changes we don’t like in the world around us.

The people in this collage are relatives from ‘the good old days’ of my own life who each have their own unique story to tell. Perhaps they are hiding secrets behind their smiles? I can utilize their stories within my writing by thinking about the journey of who/what they were when the photograph was taken and what happened to make them who/what they are now. Each person’s story houses a potential plot outline waiting to be fleshed out.

And the future? The future is known by God who has numbered our days and there is no need to be anxious about anything. “For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”  Jeremiah 29:11. 

However, when it comes to storytelling, the past, present, and future are whatever we choose them to be, so let’s embrace that and employ all three in the present as we begin a new day.

Let’s rejoice and be glad in it.

With love for the journey,

Julie

“Dear past, I survived you. Dear present, I’m ready for you. Dear future, I’m coming for you.” Matshona Dhliwayo