Working with Sam and the women of our group has allowed me to trust my voice and allow it to develop through stories and poems that reflect my unique way of seeing and understanding myself and the world around me. My voice is an extension of my unique self and the experiences and people of my life. When I began, I started writing deeply into some of the dark of my life, unraveling the secrets that have lain hidden. Now, I feel that I’ve come full circle in a way - back to the voice of the poet that I love so much and that brings me joy. I’ve discovered that having a blend of poetry and story works well for me. The joy of one word writing, haiku, six word stories, bring me to the heart of what I want to say. I’ve learned that there is an ebb and flow to my writing process. At times, the poems flow like liquid gold. The one word agenda free process surprises me and takes me to gateways within my writing that otherwise would’ve remained locked. I am in the process of gathering stories from my life while at the same time staying present to what is alive in the moment and wanting to be expressed. Writing has become giving and receiving, a pulling and a pushing, a beginning and an ending. I’ve gotten braver about sharing my work. I even entered a poetry contest! What fun. I’ve learned that my words contain power and that there is responsibility with each one.