A Probe & Ponder Newsletter…February Issue
Exploring books, learning, travel, life experiences & adventure with author, Roberta E Sawatzky
Welcome to Issue #3 of my newsletter!
If you’re someone who’s curious, courageous, and eager to grow through fresh ideas, practical writing tips, thoughtful prompts, and real-life reflections, you’re in the right place. Here, I share my ponderings and discoveries with a community of readers and writers who’ve connected with me through my books—and who love exploring how writing shapes the way we learn, create, and experience life. Let’s dive in together.
“One of the things I love about writing is it’s a place you can witness your own grief.”
—David Kessler
What am I up to?
It’s amazing how life can change in a moment. From reading my books, you will know that my husband of 47 years had been dependant on kidney dialysis for the past five years. This, combined with lymphoma offered many life challenges. However, because of his amazing and positive attidude, combined with my determination, we enjoyed much travel and adventure until travel became medically impossible for him. On January 7, his body finally had enough and my husband passed away. His final days were surrounded with family and friends, as together we expressed our love for Rob and for each other.
My writing has taken on a new focus for now. Actually not new, just more intentional. You see throughout our lives, Rob and I talked about everything; we texted or called each other often throughout the day, talked about the joys and challenges each of us was facing, and shared our dreams for the future (mostly as we walked or biked to our favourite coffee shops). We shared our lives while still honouring each other’s space. You can imagine the impact when this connection is no longer possible. At least not the way it had been.
I have been a journaler for quite a few years, more so in the past five years since his original diagnosis. The jouralling was a record of my own reflections on life. However, my journal entries are now written to Rob. It’s not the rich two-way conversation we so enjoyed, but it is a way for me to share my struggles, my grief and pain over his passing. It also allows me to tell him about what I’m reflecting on and how I want to live my life in a way that honours him.
Travel has always been one of the great shared joys of our life together. It was important to Rob that I continue exploring the world, even after him. Still, it feels almost impossible to imagine travelling without him by my side.
Recently, while listening to a podcast interview with Mary-Frances O’Connor, author of The Grieving Body, I heard words that settled gently into my heart:
“I’m going to do these things because you can’t. I’m going to do them through a body and eyes that were shaped by you so that you can come along with me.”
That is how I want to travel now. Not away from him, but with him — through the ways he shaped how I see, notice, and cherish the world. And each evening, before I turn off the light, I will continue filling the pages of my leather journals with all the things I get to do because my life was shaped by his love.
Books & Podcasts
Podcast:
A podcast I continue learning from is The Creative Penn with author Joanna Penn. This specific interview is with physician and author Karen Wyatt as they discuss Writing as a Tool for Grief and Dealing with Change. Throughout the discussion they talk about different types of grief we experience, addressing topics like: why write about grief and end of life; using writing to deal with the complex emotions around grief; and transforming personal writing into publication. Wyatt also shares how journalling her thoughts during a time of grieving helped her get out of her logic brain and awaken the creative side of the brain. Wyatt shares,
“When that switch started happening, I was able to begin moving into a more productive aspect of working through my grief; I was really able to start processing it better and get past all these ruminating thoughts that came over and over again.”
I’m sure you’ll find the episode inspiring, no matter what kind of loss you may be experiencing
Books:
As I listened to the podcast with Karen Wyatt, I was reminded about author Julia Cameron. One of her books I thoroughly enjoyed was “The Right to Write: an invitiation and initiation into the writing life.” I read it early in my writing experience and have begun to reread it. One of the thoughts expressed in the book spoke to me as I continue to engage in journalling,
“I do not experience writing as a monologue. I experience it as a conversation. Writing raises questions “I” hadn’t thought of. Writing offers “me” a different perspective, a different and more engaging way to look at things.”
By the way, I just ordered her latest book, released in 2024, called “Living the Artist’s Way: An Intuitive Path to Greater Creativity”. In my next newsletter I’ll let you know my thougths on it.
Where my deepest thoughts happen…
Tips for Writing Through Your Grief
(all from a great article in Psychology Today)
- Identify a set time of day to write, and put it in your calendar as you would any other appointment.
- Get a beautiful journal if you write with pen and paper. Make some tea, light a candle, snuggle under a cozy blanket…whatever you need to create an inviting space.
- Don’t be judgy. Write what you feel. Remember that nobody else will see what you write unless you want them to.
- Enlist a writing buddy. If going solo doesn’t work for you, invite a friend and hold each other accountable.
- End each writing session with a question you’re going to respond to on the next go-round. That way you’re never faced with a blank page.
Writing Prompts (pictures from travels):
Think about how each of these picture prompts might inspire you to complete the sentence: “Grief is like…”
Grief is like the ocean; it comes in waves, ebbing and flowing. Sometimes the water is calm, and sometimes it is overwhelming. All we can do is learn to swim.” – Vicki Harrison
My books: For ordering and book information visit my website.
Probe and Ponder…learning from life & travels with Roberta Sawatzky 