Love and loss

Jackee Holder takes a joy ride through the pages of her journal, as she learns to let go of grief

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On a recent morning walk, I stopped in my tracks at the sight of a front garden with a flurry of purple, red and lilac poppies. I observed the stalks bending in the wind, the flower heads dancing around like puppets on string. What is it about these tissue-papered blooms that always connects me to my joy? This moment happened in the middle of mourning the end of a new romantic relationship. At the time, I was sadder than I cared to admit. Thank goodness the pages of my journal felt the full weight of my grief. Loss had arrived, and with it, other past losses were triggered. But I am constantly reminded that journalling and expressive writing are skills-based practices, and knew I could use the tools of journalling to express both the joy and the grief I was feeling, which had surfaced through the loss. So where to start?