So much can happen in a year’s time. When I think about my inspiration to write about Dr. James Pennebaker’s book, “Opening Up by Writing it Down” I’d swear I wrote this post just a couple of months ago. Turns out…it’s been a year. Almost exactly. Whoa. Where did that time go?
Across the past year, my dear friend and collaborator Wynne Leon and I have enjoyed discoveries galore about our common goals and interests in writing for wellness. Blessed with wonderful writing partners on Heart of the Matter, we spent a year exploring our twin interests and continued to find ourselves meeting in the middle of the Venn diagram of life goals.
Top of the heap? The persistent idea that writing is about release and recovery. It’s the revelation we returned to again and again as we compared our motivations to write about our fathers. Wynne’s “Finding My Father’s Faith” is a heart song of a book. A testament to the brilliance and humility of her loving father. My book? Oh…quite different. “Surviving Sue” is about my complex mother, but in so many ways, it’s also a story about my father and his strengths and failings.
As Wynne and I venture forth, answering questions we’ve been asked about the ‘why’ and the ‘how’ of writing personal narratives, we’ve found our way into an emerging platform. I can’t think of a more generous human than Wynne – willing to be vulnerable and authentic about techniques that work for her — moving forward in life with her long-departed father squarely at her side. In spirit. With love abundant.
Me? I continue to learn lessons in resilience and self-discovery. Some rolled my way as soon as readers began to take in the story of Sue. But the on-going gifts of insight from readers and the reminder that it was and is a book worth reading gives me lift every day. Encouragement to continue the journey of creation, expression, no matter how high the hurdles. Fear into love.
One year after peeling back the curtain and sharing a glimpse of my writer’s soul and inspiration, Wynne and I find ourselves launching headlong into storytelling mode with our first virtual workshop offered in partnership with our friends at Revel Eleven.
Channeling Dr. Pennebaker, we believe his point is true:
”…there appears to be a basic need to reveal ourselves to others…”
Our first workshop? It’s Cultivating Resilience Through Creativity on 1/31 at 9am Pacific time. We’d love for you to join us. The creators of Revel Eleven pose a question which aligns perfectly with Dr. Pennebaker’s thoughts (and our own beliefs):
“What if one small thing — a story, a conversation, a person, an adventure — could change your life for the better?”
What if, indeed. Sharing and learning…from the inside-out.
Vicki ❤
Victoria Ponders 
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