Not A Virus

by Nancy Casey

There’s a virus going around. It’s almost everywhere. This is the same as saying that it’s not everywhere.

Perhaps you are home alone. Perhaps you are home alone with too many people. Maybe you are sick. Maybe you can’t stay home because other people need you too much. Maybe you are angry.

Maybe you are worried about money. Maybe you are worried about people you love. Maybe you are worried about people you don’t even know. Maybe you are scared.

You are probably thinking about this whole situation a lot. Even if you don’t know what to think.

Today in your writing, think about something else.

Your mission today is to write down thoughts, observations, memories and other ideas that have absolutely nothing to do with this pandemic that we find ourselves in the middle of.

Maybe you will make a list. You could also tell one long story, or write notes for a few shorter ones. You can use the alphabet. Or colors. Restrict yourself to writing down things that are true.

You could start with the weather. You could tell the story of an object (or several) in your home. You can recall an event from when you were half the age that you are now. You can explain how gravity or a dishwasher work.

Write anything, as long as it has nothing to do with this scary disease and all of the things about it that are out of your control.

If you start writing about something unrelated to the virus, you are likely to be reminded of the virus somehow. Don’t write that part down. Your pen is easier to discipline than your mind. But your pen can show your mind that all thoughts don’t have to lead to virus thoughts.

A couple of things will happen when you do this.

• Writing, just writing—pushing your pen across the page—will make you a little bit calmer than you’d be if you weren’t writing.
• Inside your own personal universe, the space that is not-virus will grow. Your actions and decisions will be informed by this space.
• Someday in the future you will look back at this page and remember this time. You will like what you have written. It will remind you of doing your best. It will make you appreciate yourself more.

So get out the writing stuff. Draw a line across the page where the title will go. Leave a little bit of space for a drawing. Get to work.

It’s one positive thing you can do today. And it won’t take very long.

After you have filled a page, read over your work. Make small changes if you need to. Add some color or decoration to the page if you haven’t already. When you are satisfied with the page, give it a title and write the date on it, too.

Here is an example of what someone could write.

You can share your work by posting it as a comment below. You can type it in, or take a photo of it and upload the image.

Nancy Casey has lived in Latah County for many years. You can find more of her work here. More than anything else, she hopes you are being good to yourself. She looks forward to the time that Write-For-You classes can start up in person again at the Recovery Center. For more information about classes and writing certificates, contact Nancy or the Latah Recovery Center.