Painting by Belynda Wilson Thomas
Self-expression must pass into communication for its fulfillment. Pearl S. Buck
On Saturday I attended the Mississauga Writers Group, it was a lovely day so we didn’t have a huge attendance but members trickled in throughout the morning. Being part of the writer’s group helps push us forward as writers. We listened to members talk about what they disliked about some of the books they read, and what authors did the same thing, but did it well.
In groups, we get inspiration from what others are accomplishing, and we learn about what is happening in the community. We share the struggles we face. We are encouraged and we encourage others on their creative journeys.
Writing is a solitary journey but if we are too hidden away, what will we write about? The stories happen out in the world, and even if the world of our story comes only from our mind, we need to people it with characters others can relate to. It must be relatable or readers will not connect with the story or its characters.
Finding our group is a bit like finding ourselves. Finding a group that resonates with us is a different experience than when we don’t quite fit.
Finding mentors and being a mentor is part of life and maybe we don’t take advantage of enough, at least I never have. When I look back over my life there are a lot of changes I would make in some areas and in other areas, not so much. Maybe the areas I’m proud of are good because I didn’t spend the time on the areas I’m not so proud of. Life is all about choices and being a creative person as we age may be more important than focusing on it when we are young. I see what it gives to people as their life changes and they have creative pursuits to pour themselves into.
Unexpressed emotions will never die. They are buried alive and will come forth later in uglier ways. Sigmund Feud
I saw how good it was for Mom to have her quilting, and she didn’t start quilting to a big degree until her eighties. She could lose herself in her quilts and forget to eat. When we still have busy lives we don’t have that many days to lose ourselves in creativity, we sandwich our creativity with the busyness of everything we need to do. But one day that busyness will be gone, creativity can fill the empty hours, and bring joy to our lives we may get no other way.
Some of us are writing about life we’ve lived to get what has been bottled up inside out where we can look at it. Some of us write to understand the world and ourselves. Some of us dream of becoming famous writers, and some of us write because we must, and what form that writing will take will be discovered along the way.
Writing and painting are connected for some of us. We paint what we cannot put into words, and write what we cannot paint. It isn’t the world that needs our writing, paintings, or quilts, it is us, we need to find a way to express what is in us. If everyone found a way to express what was inside in a way that didn’t hurt anyone else, would we all be better off?
Writing is a minefield, we have to watch what we say and how we say it, but a painting or a quilt, who can know the inspiration behind it? What if self-expression plays a role in improving our mental health, what if it serves as a bridge between what is on the inside and our outer world, what if expressing our thoughts, feelings, and experiences is what we need to do? We don’t need it so other people understand us so much as to understand ourselves and make peace with our place in the world. We can choose to change the things we can and make peace with those we can’t.
Finding a way to help others express themselves may be one of the ways we help ourselves. Being part of a group and helping others may help us in ways we can’t imagine. We may find helping someone fulfill their dream is even bigger than finding ways to fulfill our own. I look at the leader of our group and others in it as midwives helping us as we give birth to the stories within us.
He who seeks truth shall find beauty. He who seeks beauty shall find vanity. He who seeks order shall find gratification. He who seeks gratification shall be disappointed. He who considers himself the servant of his fellow beings shall find the joy of self-expression. He who seeks self-expression shall fall into the pit of arrogance. Moshe Safdie
Self-expression is always a right, but it’s still not there to be abused. Isaac Hayes
I think any form of self-expression is half confidence, half sheer hard work and, maybe a bit of talent thrown in. Kate Winslet
Thank you for reading this post. Please return and read more and have a blessed day filled with gratitude, joy, and love.