Pressure Cooker Control Valve 2: Write Until the Ink Runs Out

Bloom's Taxonomy is the gold standard for development of educational curriculum. Bloom's prescribes six levels of learning with creation being the highest level, and remembering being the lowest level. When we write about anything that might be on our mind, we are..

Pressure Cooker Control Valve 2: Write Until the Ink Runs Out
Photo by Dim Hou / Unsplash

Bloom's Taxonomy is the gold standard for development of educational curriculum. Bloom's prescribes six levels of learning with creation being the highest level, and remembering being the lowest level. When we write about anything that might be on our mind, we are creating. In order to create, we are remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, and evaluating. Quality writing is a process requiring review and revision over time, especially when writing while in the midst of grief. While we must be patient, the finished product is one of understanding, decision making, and in the best case, acceptance. I found writing to be one of the most effective tools in my recovery from the loss of 3 children over a decade.

Bloom’s Taxonomy - Center for Instructional Technology and Training - University of Florida

We process emotion while grieving and while there are a lot of factors that drive emotion, in my view, understanding, reason, and acceptance contribute greatly to our emotional state. For instance, we universally strive to understand why our loved one died, how to move forward with life as we knew it, or what to do with our loved-one's estate. If I can better understand or accept the answer to these questions, then I can give myself license to put that question to bed, so to speak, which allows me to step forward in my journey toward a new normal outside of that long dark tunnel we call grief. For me, writing enables understanding and acceptance over time.

It is through the process of writing, editing, or rewriting, that we discover an evolving level of understanding, reason, or decision making. It is therefore important to repeat the writing process when there is doubt, cause to reconsider, or simply because a month or two have passed.

“First, I do not sit down at my desk to put into verse something that is already clear in my mind. If it were clear in my mind, I should have no incentive or need to write about it. We do not write in order to be understood; we write in order to understand.” - Cecil Day-Lewis

This writing was started in 2015 and was re-written multiple times as my perspective changed over-time. I can't express how important it is to frequently review old writings. You will notice how with each review your thoughts, feelings, and opinions will change. Don't be surprised if you disagree with much of your writing after a few moths of healing. You will begin to better understand yourself, and this will lead toward a new normal for your life.

Today is the day to start a journal, random notes, blog, or a novel. Whatever it is, write, review, edit, and write again.