O Writing!

During the past three weeks, on Tuesday mornings, I have been guiding a creative journal writing workshop called WRITE THAT DOWN at the beautiful Community House in Dana Point. For two hours, twenty-something people come together to write down memories and details of their lives based on my “something significant” prompts. Oh! I am in heaven! I get to combine the two activities I most love–writing and teaching–with the added bonus of being in person with other writers. An extrovert’s dream come true! 

Coincidentally, the last session on December 19 happens midst the Christian tradition of praying the O Antiphons. Beginning on December 17, these are prayers based on Old Testament images imploring “Emmanuel,” (translated as “God With Us”) to break into our everyday lives. My friends Fr. Dave Denny and Tessa Bielecki at the Desert Foundation have taught extensively on this topic for many years. They suggest each of us write down our own original antiphons using images meaningful to us. (Here’s the link to their wonderful podcast on this topic https://tessabielecki.com/reflect/animal-guides/)

Oh what a splendid idea!

I often wake up during the wee hours right before dawn and lately have laid in bed pondering what images I would choose. There are many possibilities but it occurred to me that I could write about WRITING! As Creator of the human mind that formed language and the capacity for writing words, maybe this is divine inspiration. Oh what fun to create A WRITER’S O ANTIPHONS!

So for the next week, beginning tomorrow, I will write and share a stanza with you. If so inclined, I encourage you to do the same. Scribble away and then share what has emerged with a good listener. Do not worry about editing, punctuation, spelling, or grammar. Lock the inner critic in the cellar. Think of this practice as a little gift to yourself. Together, as Advent ebbs, let us enter the Christmas Season with an ecstatic Oh! on our lips.

To be continued. . .