SOL 7/31: Unfinished Business

 I belong to a memoir writing group and this piece of unfinished writing from January popped up when I opened Word this morning.

Our theme for this first writing of 2023 is unfinished business. What?  Just when we’re supposed to have arrived at the clean slate of a new year, someone suggests we deal with unfinished business. Oh my goodness! Where to even begin? There are the conversations I want to have with family and friends who have died, mostly just to tell them how much I love and miss them, but also so they can answer the odd questions that pop up in my life that only they can answer. Like the one I want to ask Mom and Aunt Estelle, What are you holding in the picture of the two of you, aproned and smiling, standing outside? What was the occasion that drew you together? 

 

And then there’s the unfinished business from our move of 2022. I still have boxes that I need to deal with, the unfinished business and loose ends of our move. As I think about how to do this and feel overwhelmed and undermotivated, I think perhaps I should read the book about Swedish death cleaning that Blake gave me. Maybe I can glean some tips and inspiration for this essential task that lies ahead of me for 2023. 

 

And finally, there’s the unfinished business of my years on earth. Will this be the year that I finally figure out how to overcome my weaknesses? Will I learn how to control my temper and treat those I love most with more lovingkindness? Can I finally figure out how to hold one thought in my mind long enough to complete the task before me without being easily distracted by other tasks and bright lights? Will this be the year that I figure out how to hold myself to a set morning routine (a major fail ever since retirement)? One unfinished piece of business that I definitely want to accomplish is to finish editing my Storyworth book.

 

And then, I recall the real purpose for our theme of unfinished business, the stories that we have begun, but never finished. I have quite a few of these in my family journal. The one that calls to me the most is the one about my mom’s sister, Ruby Dee Duff Mills. (And my writing then veered off to tell the story of this dear aunt. And that's a slice I'll save for another day.) 

 

Just had to add this piece of serendipity that occurred when I left my link at TWT:   The numbers align! My link was #77 on this 7th day of slicing.

This is my twelfth year to write a slice of life each day during the month of March.  Thank you Two Writing Teachers for creating this challenge and providing the space and support for us year after year. And thanks to this magnificent community for sharing stories with me and encouraging my writing life.