✨ The Creative MOMent: April 2023

Creative Journaling Prompt - Where is Home?

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✨ The Creative MOMent

The Creative MOMent is a section of the Emily Lupita ❤️‍🔥 Creativity Series where I share creativity prompts for journaling + my own creative journal.

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Creativity Prompt: Where is Home?

My two young sons are both Autistic. They don’t understand where I’ve been lately.

I’m currently in America to visit my mom in her nursing home. She had a stroke and is paralyzed on one side. My sons are with their Dad and Turkish grandparents back home in Ankara.

It’s been so wonderful to be back to my hometown in Iowa. Seeing my parents and family & friends has filled me up with so much joy and strength. But…oh goodness, I miss my boys.

I FaceTime with them. They blow me kisses. Today Charlie said, “Anne, buraya gel.” In Turkish. Which means, “Mom, come here.” 💗 He was looking out the balcony window, waiting for me to arrive back home.

This journey I’m on right now makes me feel like I have two hearts beating on two different sides of the world. A daughter’s heart always here in Iowa with my Mom.

And a mother’s heart that is always with my sons in Turkiye.

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Journaling

When writing about the concept of home, there are so many memories and ideas to consider. It can quickly become overwhelming.

I like these three writing prompts from Build Creative Writing Ideas as starting points to begin writing about home / coming home.

• What does the concept of home mean to you? Would you call just one place or multiple places home at this time? Describe how you came to this feeling about your "home."

• What are the things you always look forward to when you're home? Are there certain places you like to eat at? Certain people that you like to see? What activities do you do? Be very specific.

• Would you still consider the place you grew up as being home? If so, talk about all the things that still make it a place to come back to. If not, determine the events that led up to it losing its status.

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My Creativity Journal

Writing About Home:

I’ve started writing about my childhood growing up in rural Iowa during this trip home. And about my Mom’s stroke in 2019. It’s a heartfelt time. Here’s what I’ve got going so far:

My two little boys are both Autistic. Charlie is profound and they both have high support needs. My mom was planning to come to Atlanta to help me after she retired.

Then a few months before retirement, Mom had a stroke with a catastrophic brain bleed. She’s been paralyzed on one side and living in a rehab facility ever since. Then we moved to Turkiye next door to my husband’s parents for many reasons, but mainly because we needed daily help with our beloved boys.

Then COVID. Then I was not well for some time and couldn’t travel. And then- almost suddenly - it had been years since I’d held my beautiful Mom in my arms. I carry a heavy guilt that I cannot be on two sides of the Earth at once.

Then… here we are - together again. Painting and listening to music. As we have always done together, my whole life. Some things change. Some things never do.

I overflow with gratitude. For these moments with Mom, who has overcome incredible hardships and medical issues to be strong and vibrant still. She is a warrior.

I’m grateful to the many people who came together to make my visit happen. There are people taking over my responsibilities with the boys in Turkiye and people catching me here in Iowa. There are people on their way to me as we speak to care and comfort and catch up. Thank you. 🙏🏼

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☀️ Share your reflections

I’d love to hear your thoughts and reflections on this post.

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Good journey,

❤️‍🔥Emily Lupita

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