Magical Memoir Moments
Our Neighborhood: A Twenty-First Century Community
The poet Gary Snyder once said, “Find your place on the planet. Dig in, and take responsibility from there.” Stuart and I found a place called Stratford Woods four years ago, dug in (literally) with the first new house in a 22-lot development, and looked for an opportunity to help build community. The picture above…
Spiritual Autobiography Workshop II
Yesterday I led a second workshop on spiritual autobiography at my church. Most of the people who attended the first one came back, and about ten new folks showed up also. The big table was full! We shared a meal together, recalling rituals from our childhoods–mealtime prayers both serious and comical, night-time prayers. We talked…
Creating a Space: Preparing for a Writer's Workshop, Part Two
Wallace Stegner once said that you can’t teach writing but you can awaken it. That’s what I hope for in the class I will teach next Monday. We begin with creating space and thinking about the environment, both of the physical space and the social, emotional, and spiritual safety within that place. To teach is…