Caregivers: Jounaling can be a great way to look inward at how your experiences and struggles are affecting you. It also allows the opportunity for spiritual exploration and questioning.
- Find a picture of your loved one. Journal about the picture. What your loved one is doing, what you are doing, why the picture is important to your life together, the memories it holds for you, where God is present in your life together...
- Journal about any unresolved issues you have about your loved one. Write a conversation that never took place but that you wish you had had the opportunity to share with your loved one (expressions of love, the need for forgiveness/reconciliation, unresolved anger...)
- How is God present in your vigil? Where is God? Write about your experiences of God through your loved one, other people, visions, feelings... Write about your feelings towards God (peace, companionship, anger, strength...) Remember God is big enough to handle your feelings and their intensity.
- On your journey through your loved one's illness, what words did someone speak that you found meaningful? What words did someone offer that you found offensive/unhelpful? Journal about these words and why you feel the way you do about them.
- What memories about your loved one do you want preserved for your children? Write about the legacy your loved one leaves for the family. Write about your loved one's personal faith.
- How will your loved one keep living through you? Write about these traits (good and bad) and how you want to develop these parts of yourself. How has your loved one's faith experience affected your own spiritual journey?
- On sleepless nights, use your journal to uncover feelings, let go of anxiety, sort out confusion, understand self, release tensions and cope with stress.
- Draw a picture or make a collage of images that express your thoughts and ideas.
- Jot down isolated feelings. Explore creative options for dealing with these feelings or devise rituals for releasing them.
- Write the lyrics to a song that reflect your vigil experience.
- Write the prayers of your heart in your journal and save them to read when prayer seems difficult.
***Ideas taken from Hospice Net
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