If theres one thing that writing this coping with grief story has done, its helped me come to terms with the finality of death & my acceptance that there isnt anything awaiting us after this. The concept of the story, wherein someone gets to have one final conversation with someone theyve lost, someone who they didnt get closure from and someone who at least in their minds, died before their time is fictitious in itself, but that doesnt mean its a crime to dream and wish for a reality wherein that can happen when we go. I think selfishly, regardless of our beliefs, we would all enjoy one final conversation with that person weve lost. Be it in a pub with all our friends around us, a park bench in the middle of a beautiful spring day, at our bedside or even just on the street. While we want to remember those we lost at their best, if someone offered us the opportunity to have one last pleasant conversation with them, most of us will say yes. One of the main things writing this story has done for me personally is give me clarity. Clarity that while I know theres nothing like what we as human beings perceive it to be waiting for me when I die, no pearly gates or fiery depths, there is one thing; the unknown. That in itself is okay by me. Should I shut my eyes and nothingness greet me, well thats fine by me. But beyond my own closure, its other people I want to help with this. That is the catalyst for writing this. Its children who lose a parent or a sibling, a husband or a wife that loses their spouse, a soulmate who lost their other half. Its anyone who is having trouble grieving and wants to seek solace in fiction, if only for a half hour and allow themselves to believe. By letting them fill in the blanks in the story, they paint their own picture of where, when and who they are talking to. What they say & ask? Well beyond the basic points of dialogue im including from what I would like in my own experience, I couldnt tell you. Part of the beauty is that its completely personalised. The ultimate goal is to know that in a few months there will be grieving children, wives, husbands & friends who will have this short story on their bedside and ready to pick up the next time they feel ready and that they will always be able to find some modicum of solace, some respite from the pain. And then sleep, safe within the knowledge that no matter how many years go by, the story will never change. Their loved one will always be there to talk to them between the pages of that book and will always provide the comfort they need where and when they need it. I finally settled on a title, too. I hope when its done, you guys will all read it. Never Forgotten.
Posted on: Fri, 02 May 2014 03:01:59 +0000