A little book and an unforgettable card

#throwbackthursday

Do you want to know the story behind the picture? And how it relates to my memoir?

When I began writing the first draft, I used a non-chronological approach. Instead of "once upon a time....", I wrote parts of the story in random order.

My writing time was the first waking hour of each weekday morning. I had to be organised and efficient in order to make the most of it before the demands of the day took over.

Sometimes I used photographs or props to jog my memory. While many of the things I owned, used, or handled during those years are no longer with me, some things continue to be by my side.

1️⃣ Like this hardbound green book. It's been with me for twenty years!!!

📅 Two decades during which so much has changed.

My location - From USA to India to Singapore.

My marital status - of course.

👩‍🦳 👩‍⚕️🥻My job, my age, my haircolor, my address and much more has changed.

Yet this book stays with me, within reach. When I scan the pages, the words transport me to another time - not because they are deep, they are mundane observations, lists and records. But they capture the essence of the years and what they taught me. I can see my handwriting has changed. So have I.

This green notebook features in my memoir ✍️
2️⃣ The card marks a birthday that I cannot forget. It was a time of great despair.

My life as I knew it had come crashing and my brithday had arrived.
- Should I celebrate?
- Should I cry?

I didn't know what to do.

But my 8-year old daughter drew this cheerful card and made me a promise - "Happy birthday, Amma. I will always be with you".

Her tiny hand, her cute drawing and the sincerity of her words gave me strength when I needed it most.

I knew that I had lost many things, but I had her with me - the most precious gift in my life.

Whether I could foresee the future or not, I would have to be brave for her sake.

In my memoir, I describe the raw emotions of those early days when I faced an uncertain future.

There's more in the book.

Perhaps you have felt this way too- lost, sad but also grateful.

#inspiration #divorcechroinlces #lifeafterdivorce #motherhood #ranjaniwriter
May be an image of flower

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