Freedom
Foreword: I’m delighted to welcome back Judie Ritchie as a guest blogger. Judie is a writer, researcher, historian, RA/MC Survivor and an active participant in DW workshops. (Copyright: may be used with permission by author.) As the United States celebrates Independence Day on July 4th, this poem looks at freedom through another lens. ~ Lyn
by Guest Blogger Judie Ritchie
Somewhere in this world is freedom.
It’s embedded in the fabric of life.
It flows wild in the wind.
And rushes madly in the swift currents of the rivers and streams, and through the depths of the seas.
Freedom laughs within the faces of flowers as they boldly open to the bright, sun lit sky.
It leaps and snorts and paws the ground in the hearts of wild horses, cougars, bears, antelope and all the wild things of the earth.
Freedom soars...it rides the wind as it proudly carries the eagle, the hawk and the falcon high above the mountains and trees.
And just beneath the clouds themselves, freedom whispers to all who live below, "You are free...come fly with me...you are free..."
It beckons. It calls. It feeds the soul with courage to go on.
And on...and on...and on.
And while evil men fight and use every ounce of strength to strip freedom from the small, the weak and the broken,
Freedom keeps lifting them up again...and again...and again, drawing them, encouraging them,
"Never give up" it whispers in their ears.
“Never let evil keep you from freedom”.
Lay hold of it.
It's there. All around us. Embedded in the fabric of life.
Created into all that exists, by a Creator who loves freedom.
Two Days to Writing-in-Place Lite!
Join us for our first evening, one-hour+ writing-in-place workshop on Wednesday, July 5, 8 pm Eastern (7 Central, 6 Mountain, 5 Pacific). We’ll have a welcome, short breakout groups, a Little’s prompt, adult prompt, sharing (or not) as we wish. Spend the evening with your peers in a safe, supportive environment! If you subscribe to Dissociative Writers (DW), no registration required, just show up! If you aren’t yet a subscriber, click here and become one. See you soon!
2024 DW Anthology Call for Submissions!
Dissociative Writers is gearing up for our third annual Creative Healing Anthology, open to all subscribers to DW. All writing and art may be submitted, along with the Guidelines and Agreement to Publish (found at Groupeasy/Documents/Anthology 2024), between July 1 and September 16 by clicking here. Anticipated self-publication date is January 16, 2024. The digital anthology will be available for free on the Dissociative Writers website. For more information, click here.
Our Memoir Class is Now Full
Consider joining us in Fall 2024 for our 6-week beginner Memoir 101 for People with Dissociative Disorders!
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The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free.
~ Luke 4: 18
Lyn