What’s New?

by Nancy Casey

What’s new and different in your life lately? These virus times have brought most of us new concerns and routines. New understandings and knowledge. New beginnings. New ways of problem-solving. New connections. New distances.

It’s overwhelming when everyone is cast into such newness at once. But newness isn’t new. Every day, every moment is new. Even if we tend not to notice.

As you set up your page, think about what’s new in your life lately. Have you had new thoughts? Have you noticed anything recently that you never really noticed before? What new things are you doing these days? Are you learning new kinds of information?

The page setup takes a while. Do it slowly and think about what’s new to you lately. Big things and little ones, related to the virus and not.

Draw the usual line at the top of your page where the title will go. Then divide the remainder of the page into four equal sections by drawing a vertical line and a horizontal line. Inside each of the four sections, draw a pretty-big rectangle. Plan to write inside the rectangles and draw or decorate the rest of the space.

Label each rectangle, using these four headings:

Think – Notice – Do – Information

In each of the rectangles write down what’s new to you in that category. Don’t force yourself to think specifically about the virus, and don’t avoid thinking about it either. Do notice where your mind tends to go and encourage it to go other places as well.

Skip around and gradually fill the page. Write inside the rectangles. Doodle around the outside of the rectangles. Until the page is full.

Read over your work. Make small changes if you need to. Add more color or decoration to the page if you want to. 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. She occasionally teaches a Write-For-You class at the Recovery Center. For more information about classes and writing certificates, contact Nancy or the Latah Recovery Center.