how we bloomed: together
our first WFS one night getaway at Wild hope farm left us all with our own wild hopes and dreams
In March 2023, WF&S held our first one-night getaway at Wild Hope Farm near Charlotte. While it was only 24 hours, it was also a glimpse of what it would look like to live an intentionally creative life. Over that brief day and night, we laughed, we played, we wrote and we dreamed. As I woke up that morning, I reflected on all that had happened and tried to capture it in words for our closing session. This is what came to me and what I read for the group as we gathered later that morning. While some of it is specific to this group (you may not understand chocolate cookie crumbs and gummy worms!), I think it is a little universal reminder of trying to live with intention.
-kathy
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You listened to something that said you needed to
Rest
Play
Create
Connect
You trusted that whisper that said you should say YES!
You showed up
Open
Excited
Ready
Expectant
Tender
You created through
Flower stamping
Writing
Watercolors
Polaroid cameras
Chocolate cookie crumbs
Gummy worms
You remembered
What you loved as a girl
What your creative dreams might be
What you might want to create in your life
You noticed this world around us in
Beautiful rain
Mud
Wide open skies
And the color of water
You wondered
What it might be like to live a little differently
To recover some lost parts of yourself
And to reconnect to some new ideas
You played
At the art buffet
On the swing
And in teams
And on your own
Some of you with old friends
And all of us with new friends
You rested
On the porches
On this land
In your cozy tiny bunks
You reflected
On your life as it is
And your life as it might be
This was only 24 hours, but it was one day in your life and as Annie Dillard says, “how we spend our days is how we spend our lives.”
So yes, while we will all go back to our days where chef Dee is not cooking beautiful food for us and there will be jobs to be done, laundry and dishes waiting and people who depend on us—remember it is also you who needs tending.
So, remember to
Keep listening when your soul speaks.
Keep trusting what it says.
Keep showing up brave and open.
Keep creating however you can.
Keep remembering what you want your life to be.
Keep noticing this amazing world around us.
Keep wondering what it might look like to live a little differently.
Keep playing in ways that bring you laughter.
Keep resting in whatever ways you can find.
Keep reflecting how your life is and how you want it to be.
There are no do overs.
This is not a dress rehearsal.
This is the one life you have received.
Live it well.
You are ready to bloom.
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Kathy Izard is the founder of Women | Faith & Story (www.womenfaithstory.com) and the award-winning author of three books. Her first memoir The Hundred Story Home released in 2016, received a Christopher Award for outstanding inspirational nonfiction. In 2019, she created a children’s book, A Good Night for Mr. Coleman with artist Evelyn Henson, encouraging kids to dream big and do good. Her new memoir, The Last Ordinary Hour, is now available in ebook, audiobook, and paperback through your favorite booksellers. Kathy’s work has been featured on NPR as well as the Today Show inspiring people to be changemakers in their communities. Learn more www.kathyizard.com.