A Collective Power
There is incredible power in connecting with people who share our energy and also challenge our views and perspectives in a supportive and nonjudgmental fashion. I have had the opportunity and great fortune to be a part of groups that do just that; and I can say I am better for the experiences.
For over a decade, I was a weekly participant in a Women’s Grief Support Group; where ten of us met each Wednesday evening to share our collective sorrows and triumphs. During our 90 minutes together, we expressed our emotional and overall well-being through creating art. Beautiful poetry, pencil sketches, and psychodramas came out of our time together.
One of the contributing factors to the success of the group was the diversity of women from different backgrounds, career choices, educational attainment and generations. The individual experiences of each woman, as she navigated her own grief journey, led to self-exploration and emotional growth for the entire group. We cheered each other to on-the-job promotions and bold moves to new careers; as well as professional and personal development.
Though my ten years as part of this collective has come to an end, I carry with me the names and faces of those women who were there in the most difficult of times and have remained my close confidants and coaches. It is through relationships built on trust, extension of grace and encouragement that we become the best versions of ourselves.
