I know I wrote about fiction this week, so the natural focus of a writing prompt would be literary fiction. However, I wanted to share this powerful essay I was introduced to on Twitter this past week, written by Shannon E. Scott-Vernaglia, MD, the director of the pediatrics residency program at MassGeneral Hospital for Children. In it she shares her struggles with depression and the positive feedback loop between depression and the isolation it breeds. She makes a call to all of us to share our stories, for only by knowing we are not alone do we realize that it is okay not to be okay. It is truly moving, so I hope you take the time to read it.
The prompt for this week is this:
“Write about loneliness.”
You have seven minutes. See you next week.
References:
- Scott-Vernaglia SE. One of the Many. J Grad Med Educ. 2019;11(3):353-354. doi: 10.4300/JGME-D-19-00007.1.
More unedited writing of mine. Seven minutes on how I feel on a snowy evening.
Snow Falling
The slow icy crystals fall,
Enveloping the ground in a blanket
Of sparkly white
Adorned by the scattered
Lights of the season,
The occasional reindeer.
From under my own blankets,
Though mine made of wool,
I feel the calm,
Like nature slowly adding a weight
To the world outside,
Begging it to slow down,
Take rest,
And breathe.
My tea next to me,
That healing elixir,
A candle lit,
My miniature fireplace,
And a book in my arms,
Transporting me to imaginary lands,
I breathe.
Tomorrow I ignore nature’s behest,
Cross the snow,
My footprints a mark on her beauty,
As there is always more to do.
But today,
We inhale and exhale
Slowly together.
Writing for Wellness 