Creativity, the most precious gift of all...
In my recent online memoir workshop series, "Telling the (Loving) Truth About Your Family," we called in and conversed with our ancestors, and thought about the miraculous chains of lineage that go back into the past and forward into the future, whether through DNA or through family lines of affinity, adoption and choice.
I am grateful to my maternal great-grandparents, in whose loving home my parents lived as very young newlyweds; and to my paternal grandparents who purchased the land in the country which five generations of my family have been lucky enough to call home.
I am thankful for the love, commitment, hard work and constant tending that my family members contributed in order to manifest the flourishing and ever-growing family I enjoy today.
This Thanksgiving, with so much turmoil, violence, terror and heartache in the world, we who have the privilege of safety and plenty have much to be thankful for, and much to give back.
As my soul sister Dorcas Cheng-Tozun says in her beautiful book Social Justice for the Sensitive Soul, there are many ways to contribute to the causes we care about; we don't all have to be shouting in the streets.
Like Dorcas, I have always been sensitive, empathetic and conflict-averse. I’ve often felt guilty for shying away from protests and marches where things might get rough.
Dorcas has helped me recognize the value of focusing on the things I’m good at, like writing, teaching, community-building and working one-on-one with people, always with an eye towards "writing to right the world," and creating "books that make the world better," the motto of my imprint Green Fire Press.
Click here to listen to our recent Birth Your Truest Story Conversation with Dorcas!
Whether it's in making a meal, tending to family or writing a book, it’s essential to call on our inner resources of creativity and go all in with our care and effort.
In our age of AI assistants and deep fakes, it's incumbent on those of us who understand the value of the mysterious human creative process to safeguard it and accept no placebos.
There are no shortcuts when it comes to the hard work of cultivating a family or writing a book. But the payoff is tremendous, as we send our lifelines out beyond our own physical existence into the mists of the future.
How will you spend your one wild and precious life, Mary Oliver asks. My answer is always simple yet profound: I will spend my precious time creatively. How about you?
Yours in gratitude for creativity,
Jennifer
Creative Gifts for the Season!
Yes, I have a few ideas for your gift list, especially for writers and the people who love us! Click on the images for more information.
My stimulating creative elixir, the purposeful memoir card deck!
Pair it with my latest book on purposeful memoir, chock full of writing prompts, inspiration and guidance!
Add a coaching session with me!
And come write with me online!
Take one of my self-paced, pre-recorded writing classes!
Find many more self-paced courses and a welcoming creative family at Birth Your Truest Story!
And for a very special gift, for yourself or a loved one, come write with me in Tuscany or Iceland!
My dear friends, it’s my pleasure and my passion to support you as we stretch towards living our lives creatively and to the fullest. Are you ready? Let’s go!
