Day Eleven – The First Writers Circle and Some Art Therapy

To begin with, I will say that today was stressful. I am not going to go into details, other than to say a difficult situation arose, and the staff of the residency dealt with it.

As you can imagine, it was a bit less productive than usual for all of us. There was a certain amount of talking and processing throughout the day, which I believe was necessary and helpful. It also seemed to tighten the bond between the residents, which I think most of us appreciated.

I did get some writing done, and the writers had a really productive writers’ circle. All the members shared positivity, encouragement, and helpful feedback to improve the pieces of writing we examined. Even though our writing director, Suzy, was having some internet issues and disappeared from our screen multiple times, it was productive two hours. It’s always good when you have writers who not only know how to give feedback, but how to accept it. As someone who has struggled to learn the art of giving and receiving criticism, it is something I appreciate and respect. We have two more circles before the end of the residency. I am looking forward to all of them.

The residents decided, after the stress of the day, to have an art therapy session in the evening. This began with a guided mediation, followed by an opportunity to draw, sketch, or write. I opted for the latter, still using the journal I purchased last week at the art store. We shared some of our work, and talked about it, and I think most of us felt better at the end of our session.

The day ended with a rainstorm that swept through the valley. This felt like both a real and symbolic cleanse. It chased away the heat wave that has been our constant companion since our arrival last week. It also felt like a metaphor for letting go and refocusing. For the first time since I arrived in France, I actually felt cold. But the embrace all of the residents shared today was anything but.