Amongst all the enjoyable early fall activities this weekend, we mark the 20th anniversary of 9-11. Certainly the most somber part of our weekend and a tragedy we must never forget. Yet, today, I saw college students being interviewed saying they didn't want to hear the gruesome details nor did they want to be told who was responsible. Have the children today been so protected that they cannot stand to learn of tragic happenings in our history? If so, that's sad. All the tragedies America has experienced through the years have a bearing on what our life is like today. I feel strongly that children, at a proper age, need to learn what happened.
In that same respect, today[s post is centered on writing about the sad or tragic happenings in your life. Many memoirs center on sad lives and how certain experiences influenced the rest of a person's life. These memoirs sell. Readers seem drawn to reading about the difficult times in a person's life. Maybe because they can relate to it, or maybe to learn from what was written.
As my regular readers know, I am a big proponent of writing family stories. Many who take up this task write about the happy times, the laughing times, the warm family gatherings. That's great, but every family has sad happenings, too. Some are even tragic. We need to write about them, as well.
Maybe an uncle went to jail for theft. His situation affects the other people in the family. Some will be angry while others may be sympathetic. Some may want to cover it up, keep the incarceration a secret, which is pretty hard to accomplish. Some family members will be heartbroken, some will feel ashamed. It's a part of your family history so don't hesitate to write about it. Write about it, but don't judge.
Perhaps, a member of your family died in battle in the military. Definitely nothing to be ashamed of but not easy to write about either. Gold Star families take great pride in the service their loved one gave. Again, write about it and how it affected different family members.
There are many other tragic happenings in our lives--a jilted bride or groom, the loss of an infant or a small child, the loss of a teen, loss of a spouse, dealing with dementia.. Writing about these sad times can be one step in the healing process. Not a cure, but one step in healing. People who live with issues like this have so much hurt welled up inside. Writing about what happened or is still happening is a kind of release. Even a little of that can be helpful.
Chicken Soup for the Soul has a call for stories for a new book on grieving and how a person overcame it or found some peace. I am working on a story for that book. The deadline to submit is September 30th. Read the guidelines and tips here. You might have a story to write and submit for this book. Or you may write the story to include in your family stories. You can also write it only for yourself, and that is perfectly fine. We're all different people and have various feelings on this subject.
Mark the 9-11 anniversary in whatever way feels right to you--on your own or with your family. I wish those young people who didn't want to hear about the gruesome details or hear who did it will be willing to listen. Most of all, I'd like them to learn of the tremendous outpouring of love people gave to the families of the victims. I'd like them to know how our country pulled together. We were all Americans, not of one political party or the other, not of this religion or that one, nor of any specific racial group. We grieved together. That, too, is an important part of our history.
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