We were a roomful of mostly middle aged writers overflowing with life's gifts and sorrows whose job is to feel, shape, transform, and breathe new life into our experiences.
H.E.A.L. Hope. Empathy. Art. Love. This was
Luis Urrea's final gift to our class in a week filled with benedictions, gifts, writing and life wisdom at the Port Townsend Writer's Workshop.
Waiting for my husband to bring our sampling of microbrews to our Seattle outdoor table a week later, I opened Facebook and learned about the shooting in a movie theatre in my town. No. This can't be true. Anger. Sadness. So far away and so close.
Hope. Empathy. Art. Love.
Hope/Prayers/Action/Make a Difference
Empathy/Caring/Compassion/Being with
Art/Expression/Creativity/Passion
Love/Touch/Listen deeply
Luis shared pieces of poems by Ko Un with our class, and I share this one with you:
You are cordially invited
to celebrate the bigness of being,
the mystery of the holy ordinary,
the flowers of a moment.
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We are all in the boat together. |
Lagniappe
Here is a sweet video clip of
His Holiness the Dalai Lama with musician Michael Franti. Sure to make you smile.
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