The Healing Scrapbook Idea
When we plan our scrapbooking, often times we think of albums that focus on holidays, weddings, births and special events in our lives that we want to preserve. These are days that bring smiles to our faces and laughter to our hearts. As normal as this may be to select such occasions for our scrapbooking themes, sometimes we miss out on an opportunity to use our creative outlet to express our thoughts and feelings about those unpleasant moments in our lives that are uncontrollable.
When we stop and think about the pain we have suffered, whether through physical injury or any other traumatic event, these are all part of what molds us into the people we have become. So often we choose to bury our pain instead of embracing them to discover the hidden treasures that are often overlooked.
Shortly after the birth of my second baby, I was diagnosed with severe post-partum depression. My difficult marriage that was riddled with chaos was coming to an end. The occasions that led me to the place of complete hopelessness were overwhelming at best. As part of my recovery, I began to journal my thoughts and feelings about each event that happened. What began as an attempt to sort through the pain, developed into a complete visual expression of raw emotion and the spiritual journey that accompanied my experiences. Although not your usual scrapbook idea, it is one that played a considerable role for me in finding peace and healing.
Piecing it all together with photographs, carefully selected decorative paper and just the right stamping and embellishments gave each painful memory a sense of validity. It was like placing a mirror up to my wounded heart and saying, ‘Yes, that is what I felt. Right or wrong, good or bad. These emotions are mine.’ To be able to openly disclose myself this way and to have a visual keepsake has made it easier to let go of the pain, forgive and move toward healing.
My scrapbook album, titled ‘A Journey Through Life’s Challenges’ does not sit on my coffee table out on display. Instead, it lies on the desk in my office, waiting for moments, sometimes through tears, when I need a reminder of where I’ve been to truly appreciate where I am today.