Abundant Solitude

FF Chapter One -- Expressing Gratitude for Collaboration

A short explanation: I invited friends and family to write a six-word-story or haiku after reading a selected chapter of Flourishing Fictions: Possibilities from A to Z.

At a point when doubt was overtaking me, the simple act of an invitation to bring others into my world completely shifted my engagement with the book.

I am beyond grateful!

The next 26 letters from Born Free Newsletter will be a tribute to collaboration! And… a little bit of a tease… I’m sharing Chapter titles and graphics for each chapter of the book here on BFN.

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Dear Julie,

Where do I begin?

The most obvious place is at the actual start, but I’ve learned as a writer that one can build suspense by dipping a toe at another point in the story… and so that’s what I’m going to do.

There was a time when we shared daily smiles… carpooling, pushing strollers, quite literally massaging the poo right out of our babies. Writing that last phrase has sent me into a fit of giggles! Ugh! Your carpet.

Then, as it is so apt to do, life stepped in and took you down another path in another state. So. Far. Away. I felt heartbroken.

Do you know what, though? Your move might have been exactly the pruning I needed to keep growing straight and strong. Without you, I was challenged to find new friends. As you know, the effort left me with a few bumps and bruises… all part of a life well-lived?

It’s been almost two decades and yet our connection is steadfast. We might not know of each others daily ‘hills and valleys’ as we named them so long ago, but we know who to call when we need a laugh, or a shoulder, or a helping hand.

With grace you modeled and taught the meaning of Socrates famous quote, “Strong minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people.” I never hear you utter a disparaging remark about another soul.

Thank you for lending your voice to Flourishing Fictions… to the story and life of Gail.

We started with a serendipitous meeting — perhaps directed by forces we’ll never understand — same building, same apartment complex, same job clear across town.

You make me want to be a better person.

Gratitude and Love,

Gail