A slip of paper I stuck in a book three weeks ago as a bookmark (in Elizabeth McCracken’s excellent short story collection: “Thunderstruck”) brought me to tears this morning when I rediscovered it. The simple phrase – “Work together as a society” was the result of an artistic exercize that I gave my Teen Writing Academy students this past summer at the Ross Creek Centre for the Arts.
During the two week intensive, I challenged the five writers in the Academy to write down 50 things they fear. They, in turn invited their peers to add their fears to the mix. The result was “The Fear Project” a stunning installation in the Community Gallery at The Ross Creek Centre for the Arts where the students’ fears were strung on fishing line and suspended from embroidery hoops.
The orange cards are their suggestions on ways to CONQUER fear.
And on a starry summer evening last August, the Teen Academy students came together to explore the exhibit. The conversations that flowed were supportive, cathartic and even joyful. I left the centre that night filled with wonder and hope.
So today, I made a video of some of the students’ “ways to conquer fear” in hopes of banishing my own. I hope their words will help you do the same. Wishing you health and peace and connection during these strange in-between days of social distancing and COVID 19.
People places and things mentioned in this post:
