By Lisa Browning
| “The telling of one’s story in a safe environment is in fact one of the most powerful ways to heal.”~ Cheryl Richardson |
I grew up in a family of five, with an eleven year age difference between me and my sister, and fifteen years between me and my brother. When I was very little, my family would gather for Sunday dinner around our large formal dining room table. Because I was so small, in size and in voice, I was often unheard at that table of adults and teenagers. When dinner was finished, but conversation still continued, I would usually crawl under the dining room table, hoping against all hope that someone would notice that I was missing. No one ever did. Misguided or not, the message was clear: You are not important enough to be missed. It was a message I would take with me as I first ventured out into the world, and carry with me for many years thereafter. But it is also the reason I came to believe so passionately in the importance of being seen, heard, and valued … and the reason I started writing.
In my office closet are all the essays and stories I’ve written since grade 4, meticulously categorized and filed in labelled folders. Some are illustrated renderings of my imagination and others are merely researched thoughts, enhanced by the poetic musings of a young adult. All are the words of my soul.
In The Stories We Tell, author Joanna Gaines states the following: “We need to trust that every piece of our past and our present – the broke, the sad, the hard, just as much as the fulfilled, the good, the happy – plays a role in reaping the harvest of all that we are.”
I firmly believe, and state often, that telling our stories and speaking our truth is one of the most effective and efficient paths to empowerment. Many of the authors whose stories I have published, in anthologies or as full-length memoirs, have experienced that empowerment first-hand. Following are some of the comments I’ve received over the years …
This journey of digging deep and sinking in has been utterly transformative—allowing old wounds to see the light of day and finally heal.
There was something really powerful and freeing about owning my story and letting it go. Through the process of writing I also accepted myself as good enough, and that in itself is a gift all its own.
I’ve come to realize that our experiences, our stories, are a map for expansion and growth. By sharing our journey we can provide insights, offering hope and healing for others along the way.
When I open up to others, this also gives them permission to be vulnerable and share their own stories. This can only bring about more understanding, love, and trust. And how can that be bad?
Storytelling provides us with a powerful tool to make change happen, and I think the telling of honest and accurate stories needs to be shared more often, without fear.
It is thanks to Preetam Sengupta that I was introduced to Yvonne Raaflaub, a fellow writer who focuses on creative non-fiction. We met for coffee recently, to talk about the power of story … and as a result of that conversation, we decided to offer a creative non-fiction writing group called Words Along the Path. In order to make the group as accessible as possible, we will be holding meetings (either monthly or bimonthly, depending on interest) via Zoom, starting this Spring. Each participant will be invited to come with a piece of writing to share, and receive feedback from other group members. We believe in the power of story … of being seen, heard, and valued … and, knowing how challenging it can sometimes be to share personal stories, our goal is to encourage and empower each other.
Because face-to-face connection is also important, we will also be offering an in-person gathering once a month, where we will have the opportunity to do some artwork to further express the themes represented in our writing.
Do you have a story to tell? We’d love to have you join us! If you’d like more information about the Words Along the Path writing group, or if you have any questions about writing/publishing your story, please email me at [email protected].
