We gathered, leaned in around tables with steaming cups of coffee, sticky donuts on paper plates, and a delightful collection of shared writing prompts.
For ninety minutes, we wrote, listened, and discovered. It’s a simple model: write to shared prompts, hold space for another to read aloud, respond with our applause.
The group that gathered has collectively experienced homelessness, abuse, illness, faced traumatic health issues, struggled recently with depression. We’ve fought for hope, seen soaring opportunities, been thrilled by grace. Much of this came out as we wrote together. Laughter, deep feeling, and a whole lot in between.
Speak Up writing groups are an honest space amidst an insane world of inputs and outputs of split-second opining, social media reactions, fake news, semi-true news, AI slop, of not knowing what to believe or who to trust or where to anchor.
The writing group is a citadel of pause and presence. Purposeful, quiet, real.
To those who gathered last week: thank you. I loved hearing from you and being with you. And to those who are thinking of joining us in a couple days: please come!
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