As part of a broader English curriculum, we encourage many of our students to pursue creative writing. Writing, whether fiction or journaling, can be both therapeutic and creatively stimulating. And it doesn’t need to be onerous! Writing lyrics, short vignettes, poetry, longer stories or scripts are all valuable modes of expression, just as diary writing can help us make sense of events and feelings. Whether you use pen and paper or your phone, getting the words out from inside your head can be an enriching and liberating process.
One of our students shared a short description with us recently that we wanted to share:
The first thing I felt was the heat. Like crackling embers licking at my shoulder blades. Pulling me from a fitful sleep.
Regaining some sense of self, I tried to assess my situation. A heavy, hot weight pressed everything from my lower back upwards into the mattress. My t-shirt stuck to my skin with sweat. Head pinned to the pillow, my breathing coming in short gasps, I desperately tried to gulp down air.
I tried to push myself up. No luck. With all the strength I could muster I turned my head to the side. Cool air caressed my face, and I breathed in all I could.
Once I’d recovered from near suffocation, I confronted my almost murderer.
“Pom Pom, get off me!”
The furry culprit acted as though my words didn’t even register.
“Hey you giant furry boulder, I said get off!”
She loudly exhaled, but then reluctantly began to move off of me. With a loud thud she landed on the floor, to take up position sitting next to my head. Those big brown eyes locked me in a death stare until I finally relented.
“Alright, fine, I’ll get you breakfast, but no meat for murderers!”
Even though this was far from the first time my family’s dog had almost killed me, I still knew she would never purposely hurt a fly. Pom Pom couldn’t help her size. Or the fact she still thought herself the teeny puppy we brought home, instead of the sixty five kilogram ball of fur she’s grown to be.
