When the Past Still Stirs: Writing, Memory, and the Quiet Power of Integration
Today, in a conversation with a friend, something stirred.
We were speaking about my writing — more specifically, the verses I’ve written that trace the edges of lived moments. One in particular arose. A poem that holds the memory of a painful experience. Not loud pain, not dramatic pain — but the quiet kind. The kind that lingers in the body even after the moment has passed.
I narrated to my friend how someone asked me recently, “Is it that you haven’t worked through it yet?”
And I paused. Because for a moment, I wasn’t sure how to answer.
But today, as we were talking about this, something became clear: It’s not that I haven’t “worked through it.” It’s that I have — and in doing so, I carry it differently now. It doesn’t hold me captive. But neither is it gone.
Reading my own verse brings a feeling back — not because I’m stuck in the past, but because that memory is woven into who I am. That moment shaped me. And even though it no longer defines me, it still lives within the larger story of my becoming.
Integration doesn’t mean forgetting. Healing doesn’t always mean the absence of emotion. Sometimes, it simply means we can sit beside what once overwhelmed us — and breathe.
When I read that poem now, I meet my younger self with more softness. I feel the ache, yes — but I also feel the strength that came from it. And perhaps that’s the deeper gift of creative expression: it helps us hold both.
So if a piece of your past still stirs something in you, it doesn’t mean something’s wrong. It might just mean you’re human. And maybe, beautifully so.
🌿 Invitation
If this reflection resonates, you’re welcome to explore a free sample of “Uniquely You” — verses, reflections, and an invitation on your own journey of belonging.
You can read selected pages and join the waitlist for the upcoming release here:
👉🏼
Book Sample & Waitlist
I’d love to know what stirs for you. Feel free to share a thought or experience in the comments, or simply carry these words into your own quiet moments.
Flow-crafted with quiet intention,
Ruth Brunner
(Founder of Flow-Inspired Creations)