Sunday, March 29, 2009

Journal Entry from 2002 "I Can Look At The Paul Painting Now"


I think perhaps I've been trying so hard to keep Rob in my sights to not forget even a litte bit. I was afraid to stop thinking of him for fear I'd forget once I turned my mind from him. But that's like trying to look at two paintings at once.

If you stand back and not really focus on them, you can do it. Or if you focus on one , but stand so that the other is in your peripheral vision you can see them both, but while you are focused on the one visually, your mind has drifted to another.

I think I can see that the proper way to look at each painting is to go at each one wholely at a time. I have been looking at the Rob picture, so now I can turn my eyes and mind and heart to the Paul painting. I can turn off the Rob-drifting-mind because I know I won't forget him. I just need to take a time out from Paul watching and look at the Rob painting to remember everything.

I don't have to remember, I can just look back at the rob painting when I need to -- when it is appropriate. I will be able to see the Paul painting better this way.

It's like making a list when things are running around in my head. I write it doen so I don't have to remember. So I can think better.

I won't need to spend so much energy in remembering Rob anymore. I will simply "look back" when I need to. But my focus will be on Paul's painting now.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Perplexities

I had another dream that you hadn't really died and were living in a different country.

Sometimes I still see you in other people and wonder if I'll run into you downtown.

I love you.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Thinking of Titles

I just finished another essay for the book. I'd love to post it here, but don't know if I should.

I'm trying to decide on a title, too.

The essay is about the first time I looked at the pictures of the car my husband crashed and died in.

My title options are:

"Pictures of the Crash"
"Live Laugh Love"
or
"Just For the Day."

The first title is self-explanatory but the last two relate to the last paragraph of the essay.

"'Obrigado, Roberto. I miss you.' I walk back to my new life with a hint of promise in my steps, remembering the lyrics to a song we both loved: 'Live, laugh, love, Just for the day.'"

Any preferences?

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Working Title and Outline

Grief Shadows is not a how-to book, nor a memoir, but a series of essays relating the emotions and practical issues (like whether to throw away his toothbrush) that immediately followed her husband's accidental death, all the way up to until she re-married.

Valerie Willman reaches out to the reader with honesty and compassion and teaches us how to live with grief, gracefully.

  
"Grief Shadows: One woman's quest for inner-peace after the death of her husband" 

   I. Moments after the accident
  II. Days after the accident
  A. Uncle Phil crying in the limo
B. Sitting at the table calling credit card companies
  III. Months after his death
A.  The swim class
B. Not telling people he was dead
   IV.Seeing the crash site
A. Avoiding driving by
B. Looking at the pictures
    V. Supernatural/Angelic/Spiritual Help and Experiences
  VI. Practical Stuff
A. How to buy a house
B. How to move on
C. Do you really want to?
 VII. Dating again -- Connecting
VIII. Blending families
A. Falling in love again
B. Adopting
C. Hang-ups
D. Baggage
E. Betrayal
F. Fears
VIV. Wearing Grief with Grace -- like a smart accessory