It started near the end of 2017, being a part-time home caregiver for my dad’s end of life short-term care. I would work 2 weeks (180 hours) in a row in an exploration camp, fly back and help mom 2 weeks (180 hours) for my dad’s care. One night, I was exhausted. My niece, Maii, whispered to me, ‘Maybe you should start writing?’ I remember her laughing at my question mark face. So she added, that I should write to help me process all of life’s hard blows.
Prior to October 2017, I had never written a poem or a short story in my life, except for the required writings through high school and college. Afterwards and still now, through my career as a geologist, I have written many technical geoscience reports. These reports, for many of my colleagues sound excruciating, but for me they always are an easy task.
I never understood poetry until I started writing my own poems. And now, there is not a day that goes by without me writing some kind of poetry and reading a bucket of them daily. I can honestly say now that poetry is one of the most beautiful form of writing. For me poetry is so free. Everybody can write poetry seeking deep down in their soul their real feelings. Poetry is unique for all of us and reaches out in various ways.