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Belong, Belonging, Beloved. A little love letter to us, my Wordsmith Studio friends, on our first anniversary.

Yesterday I finally fell into work in the studio. I set all projects aside and simply created from my heart, created for you and for this post.

I love improvisational work, nothing feels better or truer.

It can be hard to let go, to be free, to be true. This kind of work is dangerous. What if people don’t like it? What if you…who are so important to me and so in my heart… what if you don’t like it? But it’s the purest offering I can give you.

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Let’s talk about this insane thing we did. A year ago this April, we came together, complete strangers, over a challenge to grow our on-line presence at Robert Brewer’s My name is not Bob blog.
We took a chance. We built our platforms, we circled each other, we followed each other, we read each other and we liked each other…but then we found out that we really did like each other and we started to support each other, to share more than just our work.

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We come from different corners of the world and every walk of life, but when we are asked what are we doing this for, our answers are:
Because it makes us happy.
Because it makes others happy.
Because, as our skills develop, we can feel ourselves developing as writers, as poets, as artists, as photographers.
Because the language of our art is ancient and we want to speak it proficiently.
Because we always knew we would do creative work.
Because at one point in our lives we decided to finally do what we wanted to do all along.
Because we never want to give up.
Because what we do takes courage.
Because we believe there is value in being vulnerable.
Because sharing is good.
Because it makes us laugh and cry.
Because it’s good for our soul.
Because we believe in each other.
Because we love to and because we want to, and each time we are asked we think of seventeen more reasons.

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And sometimes the work is not a joy, sometimes it is forced and no one, including our own brave little heart, believes we can do it, but we carry on.

Here we all are together, birds of a feather.
And tomorrow we will be braver and work on, and tomorrow we will be less tired and tomorrow we will share some more of our hearts with each other.

And we will create.

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In the end it’s the best way we know how to give.
A careless unveiling and then, and then we will stand in the light and shine.

And to my heart we belong together in our group.

In my heart you are worthy of belonging and you are beloved.

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Comments: 66

  • April 3, 2013
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    I felt the love in every letter, every curve, every color. I’m so grateful for the thread that led me to you <3

  • April 3, 2013
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    je suis de l’autre côté du monde et je trouve cela merveilleux de s’écrire et de partager de jolies choses!
    merci pour ces beaux moments passés en votre compagnie
    bises
    Sophie

  • April 3, 2013
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    Veronica, It is lovely, wonderful, terrific. Your attitude is so great. I am so glad that it is our anniversary! Clink clink!

  • April 3, 2013
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    I smiled through the whole post, your warmth radiating out in every word and art-piece. I am so grateful to say we are friends. Lovely!

  • April 3, 2013
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    I love your images and creativity, Veronica. As Sophie said, you’re sharing pretty things with a writing community that spans the world!

  • April 3, 2013
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    Very beautiful Veronical I love it. It should be permanently posted on the site as reasons why we exist with each other.

  • April 3, 2013
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    X QUIZ ETTE! That’s my best french impressionist art/lingo expression for your delicious post.. OOh, LA LA!

  • April 3, 2013
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    Thank you for the lovely photos and the beautiful explanation of our group! I also really like the collage at the top 🙂

  • April 3, 2013
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    So, so wonderful, Veronica! Thank you, friend!

  • April 3, 2013
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    Usually when I hear the word tapestry, I think of Carole King. Now, I’ll think of the group. Beautiful words and pictures. Happy Anniversary.

  • April 3, 2013
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    “And we will create.” Love it!!

  • April 3, 2013
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    Lovely post 🙂 I do feel the virtual hug! Back at you creative bad-ass (((HUG)))

  • April 3, 2013
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    Oh my goodness, I laughed out loud when I saw your first graphic, “Sit down and write…” Thanks for the message-great delivery. Now can I share that graphic-I’ll send a link over to you when I do!

  • April 3, 2013
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    I’m honored to be a part of the invisible threads connecting us. I love your beautiful, heartfelt words and art. Thank you! Big hug across the miles and miles.

  • April 3, 2013
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    Well, I think we could all just stop now (and that doesn’t take away in the least from the terrific posts that have gone before yours). You’ve said–and shown–so beautifully what we’re about! I agree with Sopphey that this should become part of the site somehow. Thank you, thank you for the lovely words and images.

  • April 3, 2013
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    Beautiful! I never expected a community like this to grow out of a whim to follow Robert’s challenge. Astonishing and humbling . . . Thank you for drawing it.

  • April 3, 2013
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    A wonderful essay! Such power and emotion in so few words, and I love the images!

  • danadampier

    April 3, 2013
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    I agree… we definitely need to keep this close as a reminder of where we started and how far we’ve come together!! Thank you Veronica for doing this!!

  • April 4, 2013
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    So, so beautiful, Veronica. I am honored and humbled to belong to this community. I was in a bad place last night, and reading this lifted my spirits. Brought tears to my eyes, but the good kind. You are an amazing person, an incedible artist. Thank you!

  • April 4, 2013
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    You are amazing. 😉

  • April 4, 2013
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    What a brilliant, creative posting, thanks so much! I would love nominate you for all the awards! Inspirational!

  • April 4, 2013
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    Wonderful post Veronica, I love it! I wanted to share some fabulous news I received on Friday but I can’t find your email. When you get a free moment drop me a line. xox

  • Catherine Llewellyn

    April 4, 2013
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    i am in tears … X

  • cjaboro

    April 4, 2013
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    Wonderful! I got goosebumps while reading! I was excited to do the challenge, but I never imagined the friendships that would evolve. It has been my very great pleasure to know you Veronica and to witness your wonderful works of art. 🙂

  • April 4, 2013
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    I’m with Catherine–verklemp–talk amongst yourselves while I sniffle. 😉 I ADORE those feathers on book pages and that composition with black ink pen and white flowers/written pages, run free Veronica, run free!! 🙂 Thank you for the verbal hug and inspiration–back atcha!! Love ya! <3

  • April 4, 2013
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    Beautiful post, Veronica! Thanks for sharing your creativity it is inspiring. Congratulations on your anniversary and to many more! Sue@betwixthomeandschool.blogspot.com

  • Jeffrey Brunner

    April 4, 2013
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    Once, I fell in love… and I thought that words could win her heart. The most difficult thing I ever attempted was to collect those words, to assemble them in the necessary order, and, when she read them she would be captured by their reality, as if reality could be surrounded by words… I did not succeed, of course…and learned that words are not really meant to pull, but to push; not to entangle, but to liberate. Thanks Veronica.

  • April 5, 2013
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    Veronica- absolutely beautiful, and I’m so glad you uploaded the photos to our site. Has anyone pinned them yet? They most certainly need pinning! I’m always so inspired by you- thanks for sharing your talents with us.

  • Amy

    April 5, 2013
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    This is such a lovely post, Veronica. Very touching.
    Thank you.

  • April 6, 2013
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    This is so upbeat and inspiring, thank you! Also, my favorite line is “we circled each other, we followed each other, we read each other and we liked each other…but then we found out that we really did like each other”. So true! Someone once asked me how many of my blog commenters I know in real life, and I had to count twice because I feel like I know all the WSS friends in real life, even though I’ve never met any of you.

  • April 10, 2013
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    Beautiful images accompanying beautiful sentiments. Just lovely, Veronica!

  • April 28, 2013
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    Your post embodies what it means to belong and belonging. I feel touched by your words and pictures, as I am sure others were also. Thank you for starting off thesecelebratory anniversary posts with a sense of togetherness. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to you, Veronica, and everyone in the group.

    Monique

  • May 1, 2013
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    .I am doing a bit better than I was last summer and over the winter. The good days are few, but I am so happy for them and take advantage of the many things I can do on those days. Thank you for the warm welcome, Veronica. I admit that being back has me excited about blogging again and ultimately participating in the group more. We are a fantastic group, diverse, but amazingly supportive. I will have to wait to write until the fall because of moving and other things this summer. But when I do, I know I will have the support of WSS.

    With warm wishes to you –
    Monique

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