Dear One,

Please take good care of yourself. I am here for you always... comforting you, celebrating with you, believing in you. You have an amazing spirit and zest for life. Never let it be dimmed. Life is one day at a time. Remember to rest as needed and console yourself in your grief. And in the quiet, think of me. Always here for you.

You give me strength to live. You contain my hopes and dreams.

You are full of sweetness caring and kindness. I am endebted to you.

Day Five... Journaling for acceptance

I find it hard to accept help when it is offered. I accept that it is to make some ease for me.

I find it hard to accept a gift. I accept that is comes from the heart.

I find it hard to accept help when it is offered since I believe I should be able to accomplish the task on my own. I fail to see the difficulty that someone else will see so have trouble accepting help for it. I am learning to accept help as it is intended: an offer without judgement or any criticism. I find it quite easy to offer help to others though. So at times this is baffling to me. I cannot place myself in the position of needing help easily. Perhaps I am all too aware of my vulnerability and it takes a moment or so to process that. I forget that we all have vulnerabilities and can be gently assisted. Help is also a gift which I too have difficulty accepting. I am learning to let go of this.

Day Six... Journaling for forgiveness

Dear dad,

I forgive you for your anger and your judgement towards me. I realize how your early life experiences have made you this way. Suffering from an untreated case of ptsd and using alcohol to try to cope with your traumas. How difficult it must have been to try to control the uncontrollable, resulting in you lashing out in anger, criticism and fear: all the while not appearing weak. This must have been a constant struggle and it took its toll on your emotions, your health and your family life. In hindsight, I see these problems now and sincerely wish you could have received help for it. Your life could have been so much different. I imagine a sense of ease, not always being on alert and a lightness would have been there for you. Instead, with flareups, anger, rage, criticism and unpleasantness came forth. I forgive you for all of this. Rest in peace.

Day Seven... Journaling for surrender

I release my impatience at whatever I feel hinders me. By doing so, I free up more space for serenity, for joy, for contemplation, for my emotions to breathe. Living without impatience will radically shift my perceptions. I need this release to feel lighter and freer. Any additional burdens that tag along with this impatience will have nowhere to cling to and grow, weighing me down. I picture joy ascending with its release. I hope and wish for this. The need for this is palpable for me to continue on my joy journey.

Desiree Duda

Learn and create

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