Green Days

I’m in a creative writing workshop that I’m facilitating for a group of community researchers. I’m having a wonderful time. Everyone has been so welcoming and they’re all so open to playing with words and to sharing them. Imaginations are running so beautifully wild and free. We worked hard for a couple of hours this morning and following a lunch provided by members of the group we’re just beginning the second half of the workshop. The current exercise is ‘Writing Through the Colour Lens’. It’s one of my favourites. After a few minutes working with coloured pencils on paper thinking through, and around, my prompt ‘what colour does today/this afternoon feel like to you?’ participants are writing out their thoughts and feelings; in fiction, in poetry, in song and more. Some are continuing to work with the pencils sketching instead of, or alongside, writing. I’m moved to join in. Given how I’m feeling I couldn’t choose any colour except green.  

Green in response to the commitment, energy and harmony in the room. The obvious connection and friendship. The reception I’ve received.

Green with reference to the shoots of creativity, the growth and developmnet. The engagement and the hope for the future. Oh, and the bunch of flowers that one of the two people who invited me to run the session gifted me on arrival.

Green for the fresh food we’ve been sharing (not all green in colour though). I’m reminded of my mum here. But when am I not? A small women with a ‘healthy’ appetite, a good and adventurous cook in both lean and more plentiful times. Wise and witty too. I smile as I remember her referring to the Green and Black chocolate brand as Black and Decker, another favourite being Toys ‘U’ Want, rather than Toys ‘R’ Us.  

Back to today. How privileged I am to be here. How grateful I am to be part of such interesting work. How lucky I feel. This is the first of two workshops with this group. I’ve some more exercises planned for this afternoon and then we’ll spend some time planning for our next session in mid-February. I’m thinking now of a poem I read recently on Facebook; a variation of Thirty Days Has/Hath September. (I’m sorry I can’t remember the author and I’m para phrasing a little).

Thirty days has September,
April, June, and November,
All the rest have thirty-one,
Except February, twenty-eight days in total,
And twenty-nine in each leap year,

And January which has 4,832.

Most of us arrived wet this morning, caught in a downpour just as we were arriving. We dried off quickly enough and now the sky is brighter. And, the nights are drawings out. It will still be light when I leave the community centre. Spring is on the way. A green day indeed.