Round and Round a Writing Community Goes and Where It Stops, Well, Actually It Doesn't

About a month ago, I had a chat with two fellow writers, Nitasha and Nancy, that I worked with, in Mumbai, India, six years ago. While teaching there, we were members of the same writing group. This conversation sparked memories of our groups' prompts, fellow writers' pieces, and, most importantly, the community that was grown from this shared experience. During our conversation, Nitasha invited us to join her in this year's Two Writing Teachers' SOL challenge.

Instantly I signed up. No reflection. No wondering if I could have the stamina to write for 31 days. No doubts. There was a reason for my instantaneous sign-up. At the time, I was unaware, but a silent signal flashed in the frontal lobe of my brain. I was desperately craving to write with a community.

Thirty-one days later, I've realized that the writing community Nancy started six years ago has created a cycle of sorts. Now bear with me.

1. The group that Nancy originally formed and led was passed onto Nitasha and me.

2. When we left our school, I assumed the writing group ended, but like all cycles, it didn't. Two of our colleagues took the reigns and continue to facilitate the group.

3. Surprisingly, six years later, plus or minus a few months, Nitasha reached out and invited me here.

Our "old" writing group never really ended. It was just the beginning. At times our members, myself included, hibernated, but like bears, we seem to possess chemical reactions within our brains that deploy a silent signal that it's time to write again. I emerged from my writing den to share in this year's SOL writing challenge, all thanks to my original writing group, which began 8,000 miles and six years away from here.

Thanks to all the slicers who joined this year's challenge, which, as many of you have stated along the way, has been more of a challenge than usual. Your commitment and encouragement are appreciated and have inspired me.

Thank you to the Two Writing Teachers team for building this community and encouraging us to write and share.

Thanks to my Welcome Wagon driver, cheerleader, and nudger, Glenda, whose big change in her plans swerved her into this role and seat, and I'll be ever grateful for her expertise.

And finally, thanks to Nitasha for this invitation.

Looking forward to SOL21. Stay well and safe.

I Spy A Silly Face! A Tale of a Community Window Walk

Today, in Northern Illinois, the city my parents live in the residents participated in a Community Window Walk. The first community window walk occurred on March 17th, St. Patrick's Day. Participating residents placed shamrocks in their windows, and families would walk around neighborhoods looking for as many shamrocks as they could find. This event was so popular, someone, somewhere who should get credit, added other ideas, and wanted to continue the fun. 

In case you'd like to start one in your community, here's the schedule that's 
been going wild around the internet and the world!

My family didn't participate in the first walk, simply because we were unaware of it. I thought, despite today's chilly temperatures, we should join in the fun. So I printed a silly faced emoji I found on the internet and taped it into my parents' front window.

Can you find the second silly face? 
It's my mom.

This afternoon, my dad and I bundled up. Even though spring has officially begun, our temperatures have a differing opinion. This meant wearing extra layers...hats, gloves, scarves and of course the usual uniform of winter coats. We walked about three blocks and hadn't spied any silly faces in windows. Until from across the street, we spied...

Four faces were smiling back at us!

But not just one an entire house full!

Each street-facing window contained a silly face. You could observe the representation of different ages in this home—some silly faces made of scribbles, while others appeared more sophisticated. Regardless of artistic ability shown, we laughed and paused and talked about each one.

For the remainder of our walk, we searched for more. We didn't spy any other silly faces on the streets; we wandered down. I noticed that this small task that defined our walk increased my observational skills. I was observing not just windows but the colors of shutters, yard decor, and tiny stems peeking out from the cold ground.

I'm looking forward to the next walk, on March 23rd, animals.