Curiosity. Fear. Excitement. Worry. Freedom. Suppression.
This tug-of-war waged inside me as a young teen.
Blended families often have a tough time integrating, and I feel ours was no exception. The “trickle-down theory of happiness”1 was putting pressure on me.
Like many children of divorce, I had to deal with the distressing situations my parents’ remarriages presented. All of those transitions introduced significant challenges in my life, but they also created opportunities for my faith to flourish.
This is my writing process for transforming painful memories into poems.
I go to my journals and immerse myself in those feelings. Then I pull out a photo from that time period.
Be perfect. Don’t cry. Don’t show them your hurt. Keep it locked inside.