These sessions never cease to amaze us; the growth and creativity that comes out of 25 people sharing a screen. Today Adrienne introduced her Memories of Kindness practice with a poem Your soft heart by Nikita Gill.
Bev took a writing prompt from the poem The Kindness of Memory by by Mary Lou Healy:
memory will bend
We have news from Lesley O'Brien about some upcoming writing events, the Lapidus walkabout writing sessions in the park. These sessions are coming to a park near you if you live in or around Glasgow as there are a few facilitators doing similar in parks across the city. Here are links to book tickets for the Cuningar Loop and Glasgow Green events (all details on Eventbrite).
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And now for some of
YOUR WRITING:
Memory will bend...
by Julia Angell
Sometimes I wonder
if it was as black and white
or whether the smile was cheese
the images are small and fading
and they are gone
but the fluffy cat they gave me
still plays the lullaby
they never sang.
“You are still the child” from Nikita Gill Your Soft Heart
by Kath Higgens
You are still the child
who was not talked to,
the child who had to live inside,
who had to survive without human interaction.
No wonder since a baby you have felt vulnerable, unsafe.
Of course there are regrets,
but don’t let them immobilize you.
Accept now the safety offered,
where there is room for kindness,
where the holding is enough
to let your kind heart
locked inside
reach out to touch the others –
those within and without –
who also find themselves wounded and in need.
Memory will bend
by Kath Higgens
Shine up the special moments
so they glow, she said.
I am trying to find them,
those positive memories
from childhood.
Haunted by specifics
that come tumbling
one after another
devastatingly
into my mind,
can I find space
where kind memories
can float in?
Pause, breathe, and breathe again.
Still no good memory
wants to emerge.
Stay still. Wait.
Do not panic.
Well, if I cannot find
a good memory to bend,
let me at least
learn to throw a gentle shawl,
warm and cosy,
over the outline of the bad ones,
so their edges become blurry,
so they can finally be handled
beneath the soft cover,
soften and transform.
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Thanks to you all ...
... for your heartening feedback as always!
Candyce: Beautiful Catrice. Thank you.
Diane: thanks to you - I am so moved by your support and encouragement and honesty
Julia: so true x
Kath: Thank you so much, Catrice
Catrice.: <3 My pleasure. <3
Fenella: Catrice, that is luminous. x
Catrice.: Thank you, Fenella. <3
Joyce: thank you for all that - wonderful and thankyou for enabling non writers to write and share x I love this process and it feels like a rebellion for me to read something held in the groups support
Kay: beautiful Adrienne and that bowl is singing now thankyou kx
Angie: Thanks Adrienne. I feel very relaxed now. xx
Helen: fab..could u tell me the poem again
Candyce: Thanks Adrienne!
Bev: Your soft heart by Nikita Gill https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/544724517426620144/
Bev: memory will bend
Catrice: Cath, that was brilliant!
Angie: Wow Kath, that was wonderful. Thank you for sharing.
Diane: thanks you - I’m moved by your courage
Catrice: Kath, thank you for pouring these beautiful poems forth today. What an honor to hear your heart today. <3
Helen: shine on Kath
Joyce: thankyou Kath for sharing and for being here - sending love to you
Hilaire_: Thanks so much for sharing Kath. Big hugs
Candyce: Amazing. Our vulnerability saves us and others
Lesley: wow so powerful and beautiful Kath, I absolutely loved the warm shawl over the bad memories. Thank you. x
Cath: Cath, let us give u kind words to place in your kindness memory. it's lovely that u shared with the group
Kath: Thank you all
Sandra: Thank god u did share. Moving and heartbreaking sending love and positive vibes xxxx
Catrice: POWERFUL Joyce!!! Wow!!!
Angie: 'kindness is the most rebellious of all revolutions'. Fabulous line.
Beccy: Yes!
Sandra: Kindness of those neighbours changed that outcome. Wonderful poignant
Lesley: Loved it Joyce!
Lesley: Helen loved the image of the hanky and the grape from the child!
Angie: Helen, it was lovely how you show that children can be so gentle and kind.
Beccy: beautiful image
Joyce: wow bex I would love to see and hear that again
Claire: Memory not born yet
Angie: Beccy I loved that poem.
Hilaire: That was fabulous Beccy! Packed with such vivid images
Angie: Sally that was wonderful how you took us all back in time.
Beccy: fabulous pictures you created
Joyce: amazing Sally I loved that xxx
Kath: My mother did same with butter wrappers!
Julia: I do that with my butter wrappers..
Bex: my mum still does!
Sheila: My MS loses memory so it has been great to find some of mine through you all. Thank you
Beccy: "the house you love is always waiting" - love that
Helen: you calling the rooms awake..very beautiful
Lesley: Clare I loved that, especially memory will follow you down the hall x
Joyce: excellent Lesley xxx wise words xx
Angie: Lesley that was lovely and so full of beautiful images.
Sandra: So lovely Leslie
Hilaire : That is so powerful Julia
Kay: what an amazing session I feel very privileged to have shared it with everyone thankyou so much for such courage and generosity kx
Sandra: Beautiful peice
Julia: Thank you so much everyone x
Catrice: Excellent session.
Sandra: What a great session. Heartfelt and emotional. I’ll send the rest of my writing to Bev
Joyce: thankyou all - a heart felt day ..go well all xxx
Sheila: Thanks for the mindfulness loving cup
Claire: Thank you
Angie: Thank you again for a wonderful session. xx
Bex: Thanks everyone, see you next week x
Susan: thank you for sharing
Helen: amazing women..have good weeks
Lesley: thanks wonderful women! x
Charlene: thank so so much . such a rich session xxx
Hilaire: Such a rich session - thank you everyone
Julia: So sad to have missed most of the readings but so happy to have joined in at the end.
Nichole: thank you
Julia: Really good to know others struggle with memories x
Julia: Bye all x
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Lapidus Scotland gratefully acknowledges the support of Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership via the Wellbeing for Longer in Glasgow Fund managed by Impact Funding Partners