Day By Day

by Nancy Casey

Days go by. They always do. Sometimes they feel so identical that they all melt together into the big memory lump we call “the past.” Some days bring such surprises that they are unforgettable.

Making this page will give you a chance to focus on two specific days in your life: yesterday and today. It’s a chance to ask yourself the question: What has happened today that is different from yesterday?

As you set up your page, try to remember your whole experience from the last 48 hours. How did it all unfold?

Draw a line at the top of the page where your title will eventually go. Set aside some space for drawing or illustration if you like.

Begin writing down some details of what has made today unlike yesterday (so far).

Days can vary because of things that are out of our control: the weather, your work schedule, or what other people do and say.

Certain events that will not be repeated might have happened today or yesterday. Perhaps you visited with certain people on one of those days. Maybe some of the places you went were different. Maybe you witnessed something unusual.

What about the various objects in your life? Did you park your car and hang your coat in the same places today and yesterday? Are you wearing the same clothes?

Think about your habits and rituals, the ways most days are the same for you. Did anything vary from normal, either today or yesterday?

What has surprised you in the last 48 hours? Have you learned anything new? Lost anything? Met anybody for the first time?

Maybe you have had a change in attitude about something. Or your alertness and fatigue levels have varied. Did you eat the exact same foods on both days? Have there been changes in your home environment—cleaner? dirtier? Is all the furniture in the same places?

As soon as you think up something that has changed since yesterday, describe it. Explain what’s different and if you want to, explain why it’s different or what you think about it.

It could turn out that you will end up writing about one big change, or more than one. Maybe your page will be in paragraphs, or maybe it will look more like a list.

If you can’t decide what to write about, get your pen going by drawing or doodling. The motion slows your thoughts and helps you notice them better. As soon as an idea for writing comes to you, start putting down some words.

When the page is full, go back over your work. Make small changes if you want to. Add more decoration if there is room. Think up a title.

Write the title at the top of the page. Write the date on it too, along with a signature or your initials.

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.

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Nancy Casey has lived in Latah County for many years. You can find more of her work here. It’s not possible to have an in-person Write-For-You class at the Recovery Center at this time, but if you are interested in writing coaching, contact Nancy or the Latah Recovery Center.