A ‘QuickWrite a Day’ #6: Lost and found

"Writing can be used as a vehicle to express ourselves as we negotiate the journey through our lives” (Gallagher, 2011: p. 24)

Today’s ‘QuickWrite of the Day’:

Image by Paul Postera from Unsplash.com

In her poem One Art, Elizabeth Bishop writes that “the art of losing isn’t hard to master.” In these strange times, we have all experienced loss in some form, whether that be the loss of familiar routines, employment, beloved pastimes, freedom of movement or close human interaction.

At the same time, there have been some wonderful things that have been rediscovered or found, like stretches of family time, creative projects, checking in on elderly neighbours, hand-written letters or drawings, messages of humour and hope in front windows, sitting quietly with one’s thoughts and a spirit of generosity and community.

What have you lost and found during this time? What has it been like for you? You might want to start with a ‘lost’ list and ‘found’ list and have a go at selecting one or two items to write about, or you might want to compare and contrast what has been lost and found during this time in your life.

Want more QuickWrite topics? Check out the slide deck here, or see it in presentation mode on our Resources page.

Happy writing!