I like the idea of engaging in a different kind of writing, more of what Jeff Goins called “dangerous writing” in his session at Blissdom.
When I decided to post this quote and ask other writers to respond to it, too, I thought it might give us a way to connect with one another. I wanted to encourage us, as a community, to write about things that matter to us—not necessarily things that are funny (although they might be) or SEO-worthy (although they might be that, too), but topics that make us stop and think.
But wow. I was amazed by the powerful posts this week. The writers’ voices were authentic and, at times, raw. Reading each of them pushed me to think more, to consider more, and, especially, to listen more and recognize when friends have important things that are hard to say.
Emily’s post described the incredible burden she and her husband carried when they held a secret, and their fear, close. When they finally opened up to others, they found much-needed support and rest. Yet, instead of sugar coating her story, Emily acknowledges that this isn’t always the case—sharing doesn’t always bring such relief. She acknowledges that she’s felt pain and frustration she’s felt after pouring out her weariness, and wonders, “If you heard me… how were you able to switch to a light hearted topic before my breath had cooled?”
Danielle wrote beautifully about spending too much of her life drowning in irrational fears. She described the beauty of living with her whole heart and the importance of taking risks. “With those risks,” she writes, “I practice opening my heart and when my heart is open only then can I receive the gifts that the Universe has waiting for me.”
Doña described with heart-wrenching depth about the difficulty she’s encountered in sharing her truth with people who didn’t understand her. She articulated the destructive power of a blank stare and an unreceptive listener with these words: “Each time my words are cut off, disregarded, or unsatisfactory I get quieter. I say less, I am less brave…My life has been a seesaw of turning on and off the flow of my story.”
Thoughtful words, from all of them.
I planned to post writings each Wednesday, and to post the quote the Monday prior. Turns out, lots of bloggers work farther ahead than that. Who knew? So I’ll post the quote for next Wednesday by tomorrow. I’d love to have you join us and link up (details here).
