darkness

Yesterday was Holy Thursday.

I attended a weekly writer's group at the local recovery center. The group is led by a woman who believes in the healing power of writing and who wishes to improve her and others' writing skills. In a brief 10 minute exercise yesterday, each participant took 10 minutes to become aware of the sense of their surroundings-the noise, the smells, the colors, the feeling of the place and to write about that experience.

As each person read their paragraph I realized how much I learned about each of them-their use of their senses, their sense of self and their story. It was a powerful way for them to learn about themselves and for the rest of the group to learn about them. One writer used the term, "Oh know!" What a clever way to phrase her "knowing." A woman new to the group wrote only a few sentences and then was inspired to continue writing---energized by the group. Another wrote of the quiet and a reminder of working on a puzzle with her grand daughter.

The day was Holy Thursday. As I walked to my car I had the sense of the many ways we push back the darkness.

During this Easter season how will you push back the darkness?
Will you "watch one hour" with someone in pain?

Blessings-Penny