Dear Healing WELL Community,

It is upon a few weeks of reflection that I am compelled to write the opening letter for this month's newsletter.  One day I was talking to a participant in class who was saying she was struggling with her living situation.  She had to move somewhere temporarily for an unknown amount of time, and was feeling totally groundless and frustrated by not being in her own space.  She talked about how the unknowns were incredibly stressful and discouraging.  I realized that many of these feelings she described mirrored how I was feeling about our move.  Before we found our space, I struggled with questions like: where will we land?  what will it mean for our community?  what will we do while we wait to get settled into the new space?  With construction just beginning, I still have questions: how long will it be before we can open our new doors?  Do we have everything we need?  Is everyone doing ok? 

So many people I talk to on a daily basis at The Healing WELL have had similar stories of struggle - either past or current.  The not knowing the where or the when.  The feelings of doing everything you can to move process along but being powerless over how quickly it goes forward.  How your move could be your number one, most important, top priority, but realizing you're only one item among many on the radars of other people.  

Our situations do not compare.  I cannot equate the transition of the Healing WELL with someone who is unsure where he will sleep tonight or tomorrow.  Someone sleeping on the streets.  Someone temporarily displaced while renovations occur in her home.   Someone struggling to find housing in San Francisco with its impossibly high rents, but not being able to leave the City because her services are here.  I can only imagine the exponential stress people in our community experience, both physically and mentally.  For me, it highlights both the importance of the physical necessities as well as the need for emotional, physical and creative outlets to stay grounded in this time of displacement.  

As we navigate through these last few weeks of construction, we are buoyed up by the support and immense generosity of our community, both physical and virtual.  We trust, let go of some control, and remember that we are doing incredibly important work.  We look forward to opening our doors soon, expanding our programming, and learning from the wisdom and experience of the people in our community.  Thank you for being with us!

Warmly,

Sarah