Stories of Survival
Survivors of all ages often turn to writing as a way of giving voice to their crises. The process of putting raw experiences into words can help us to make meaning, take heart, and find hope in troubled times. Writing helps us transform our crises into survival stories. And reading these stories helps us connect empathically with others, share in their struggles, and gain a deeper understanding of their experience. Ultimately, reading people's stories of survival reminds us that, in spite of heartbreaking tragedies, the human spirit can endure and even prevail.
We invite you to share with us your own survival story. We will post them here, with a first name, age, and school or home community, if you desire. Or, the posting can be anonymous, if that is your preference. The writing may take any form - a poem, a note of appreciation to someone who made a difference, a memoir of the lessons you learned from a disaster, a reflection on how a crisis has formed your values and character, or an account of how persistence and resourcefulness led to a successful resolution.
If you are a parent, teacher, caretaker or friend of children who've survived a natural disaster, act of terrorism or some other catastrophe, we also welcome their stories. Please send them to Lennis Echterling, Ph.D. at echterlg a jmu.edu or Anne Stewart, Ph.D. at stewaral at jmu.edu . Thank you!
