Snapshots of Llife
By Sloane Quirke
Sloane Quirke shares their personal reflection on what makes us human.
A neighbour knocks on the door, holding a plate of cookies. “We made way too many today, do you want some?”
When I heard there was an open call for writing submissions to Good Day Cork, I jumped on the opportunity. I was so excited to share my thoughts and feelings on the themes given but I just seemed to hit a block. Every time I thought I had a good idea I would sit down to write, and I’d get a good bit into it but it just felt wrong. What I wrote either felt forced and not authentic, or it felt too personal and raw to feel comfortable sharing.
Sitting on a wall by the sea, reading a book and drinking bad takeaway coffee, she realised that it’s small things that make life good.
I got extremely overwhelmed. I had so many thoughts bouncing around in my head but just couldn’t form them into a piece of writing. I decided to drop this piece for a while and try to get on with my life. During this time off I started going to college, where I’ve met some great people and have already been learning so much.
Two friends sit in silence for hours, doing different things and just being content in the other’s company.
I started to connect with people, I’d hear their stories and tell my own too. I would sit on the bus on the way home just processing everything and thinking. I thought about the route my life had taken to get me where I am today, about the people I have in my life and how grateful I am to them. This brought me to a realisation that my life is built from my relationships and small moments rather than big events.
A man gets on the bus, only for the driver to say his ticket was invalid. The woman behind him pays for his new ticket.
I started to think about this piece of writing again. Things like grace, gratitude, and abundance are such big and abstract concepts that trying to tie them into one story was too challenging for me, and that’s what caused my writer’s block. Then it hit me – I didn’t need to write one big story, I could write down snapshots of life. I started to reflect on my own memories and experiences, as well as paying more attention to the people around me, to try and pinpoint those moments where people connected.
A woman, after raising her two kids alone, finally gets to travel and take on the world with the support of the people that love her.
The common thing I noticed in all these positive moments was love and compassion. Whether it was just the care that we have for random strangers, the love that we have for our friends, or love for ourselves, all these moments spring from people loving and caring for themselves and each other. Everyone has a different opinion on what makes us human, but for me it’s the connections we make and the love we share.
A group of friends run into the sea, shrieking from the shock of the cold. Later they all drink hot chocolate and laugh at the day’s events. They don’t know it, but they’ve made a memory together that will stick with all of them for the rest of their lives.
About the author:
Since the start of 2020, Sloane Quirke has attended workshops at Activate Youth Theatre, including a few for poetry, writing and even got to interview some great authors. Sloane says, “I have always been nervous to share my writing with people, to the point that I wouldn’t write much, but, going to these has given me so much confidence in my writing and I finally feel comfortable sharing again.” They are now (2021) studying Drama in Kinsale College to become an actor. Sloane loves performing, and takes every opportunity to step into the lives of characters and share them with the audience.
