This summer, in addition to general chill time in our backyard and some outdoor ventures at rivers, parks, lakes, lakes, waterfronts as well as street festivals and performances, I set out to develop a daily creative practice.
I’ve written in journals for decades (there are crates of evidence). For work, I’ve also written product reviews, web site descriptions, . I’ve written articles, press releases, public service announcements for the political organization I belong to (the Uhuru Movement) . But, I’ve never tried to create an audience larger than just myself in the writing that I’ve done on the pages of my journals.
The image above is the cover of a small journal made by my friend and neighbor Alison Moncrieff, who raises kids, chickens, writes poetry and paints and is, more importantly, such an awesome honest, sharp and compassionate friend and person as she does all the aforementioned things. (I wrote about her in a previous post. She is at https://www.alisonmoncrieff.com/) . On the first page of this journal, I made sure I wrote something good. So I started the journal off with a quote from Black Lesbian feminist writer and leader Audre Lorde, “When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.” This quote feels relevant to me as I move into this new territory, a new way of expressing myself that is out of my comfort zone but feels necessary for this moment that we are all in on this planet.
This daily creative practice needs to fit in with everything else I do including my job, family, political work, and general self-maintenance and enjoyment of life.
I’m currently focused on a project for and about my brother, who passed away in a plane accident ten years ago. My intent was to collect Ned stories, to learn more about my brother’s life and to use the creation of this collection to connect with my family and to his friends. What better way to extend Ned’s life into the future than to get more of him through stories? Daunted by the undertaking, I conceived of it as a ‘zine so that it would appear to be lighter, both physically and emotionally, and so I wouldn’t run away from it.
But of course, it is not lighter! It’s not going to be a zine. It’s physically exhausting and emotional! It helped to be with my parents this week sharing stories that went with hundreds of pictures of a life well-lived. I discovered the full name of Ned’s first roommate out of high school who we’d been searching for and also around 25 more pilots and flight attendants that he knew.
Once again, Jessica Abel’s coaching on the creative process, helps me articulate why I am putting myself through this creative process. Here goes:
Wendy is putting together a book about her brother because she wants to connect with his community, to learn more about him, to move through her grief in order to find a deeper purpose and meaning to her life and how she can serve others. But, there always has to be a “but” in the hero’s journey. But, it’s frickin’ hard!
If you’ve read this far, maybe you want to peep my work-in-progress, The Book of Ned.
Thank you Lorde, Audre, that is, for helping me see that my vision is more important than my fear.
Wendy Lea Writing 