by Deborah Rogers –
Do you keep a diary? If so, how often do you go back and read through your entries? I’ve only ever been a sporadic diarist, but writing for Seaside gives me a unique opportunity to reflect on my life. I can look through past issues and see what was on my mind, and also remember the way I felt when I wrote about this topic or that.
Why am I thinking about diaries? Well, it’s been hard to avoid all the “one year” Covid anniversary pieces recently, with their prompts to reflect on how life has changed. I also had the chance to contribute an entry to an online project. “A Diary of the Zion Community during Covid-19” has a different author every day, starting on March 1 last year and running through to March 31, 2021. It will remain a record of how people acted, felt, and what they thought about during the period. Zion is a Community Centre in my hometown of Bristol. Somewhat like our McTavish Academy of Arts, it’s a disused church that’s been returned to community use as an arts space and social hub.
My entry recounted a hike I’d taken that day at Mount Finlayson, in the company of my son’s Venturer Scouts group. The entry was about the hike: the beautiful park, weather conditions, the challenge of the route; but the entry was also an opportunity to reflect on why it all mattered. I thought about the difference between my environment here and Bristol. I reflected on the way the kids I was with have embraced what’s been thrown at them this year and carried on with the things they can. Writing about it made an ordinary day special.
That’s part of the magic of a diary I suppose.
Clothing provided and styled by MODEN Boutique.
For more, visit www.modenboutique.com.
