KUWAIT: In her quietest moments, when her emotions yearned for release, Sarah Al-Dhafiiri found solace in the flowing ink her pen effortlessly etched upon the paper. "Writing exposed my wounds, yet only through it did my healing begin,” she reflected. As a writer who discovered connection through the power of words, Dhafiri shares the profound impact that writing had on her, guiding others to embrace it as a therapeutic practice.
Since childhood, Dhafiri’s introverted and calm demeanor often led her to bury her feelings in silence and solitude, unconsciously constructing barriers that distanced her from both herself and those around her. "I remember how incredibly challenging it was for me to verbally communicate with my family, which led me to write letters instead and tuck them under their pillows,” she recalled. It was only when she discovered her passion for writing that her mode of communication was forever altered.
Deep within, everyone recognized Dhafiri’s innate gift for writing, yet she herself came to realize that writing goes beyond mere skill or talent; it provides benefits to all, not only the creatively inclined. It’s a practice crucial to embrace, she emphasizes, advising to pause briefly from our fast-paced daily routines and constant distractions, allowing our emotions and thoughts to surface. "Take just four minutes from your day and ask yourself one question: What am I feeling right now?” she suggested.
"Perhaps all you’ll receive is a single word, a simple drawing, a question mark, or maybe you’ll end up filling the entire page altogether. Day after day, you’ll learn to better answer this question,” she explained. Dhafiri firmly believes that with dedication and practice, that initial word might evolve into three pages, eventually restoring the long-lost connection with one’s inner self.
As beautiful as the journey of expressive writing is, she admits that there’s a darker side to it. It can be exhausting at times, as some won’t easily bear to be entirely exposed to themselves, touching upon their points of weakness, shame, and fragility that no one has ever uncovered before. Hence, it demands readiness to meet with one’s hidden layers, and all their underlying imperfections, through embracing complete transparency and honesty with oneself. "There will be days that will stir your tears to fall,” she noted, "but I view it as the ending point of a negative emotion, and the beginning of enlightenment.”
For many, Dhafiri believes that writing might serve as a way of self-reflection and clarity. For others, it can provide a safe haven to unleash conflicting thoughts and find peace amidst chaos. Some use it to preserve cherished memories, while others weave future dreams and aspirations onto each page. Regardless of the approach, writing has its own way of providing relief.
However, for Dhafiri, it goes beyond that. "Writing is a path that I choose to undertake every day; it’s the lens through which I see the world,” she shared. "It defines me and gives purpose to my existence.” As her eyes sparkled while uttering these words, Dhafiri urged everyone reading this to take that crucial first step in writing, allowing their pens to guide them on a journey of self-discovery before life slips away.