Yesterday I branched out from my writing comfort zone into the world of public speaking. My friend Cathy, a social worker, asked me several months ago to speak at a meeting of her Coping with Loss group, using writing as a way to heal. I was excited to accept, even though I didn't quite know what my angle would be at that time.
It all came together as I considered it and honed it over the past few weeks, and even though the two other speakers, a nurse and pastor, and I hadn't met before yesterday, all of our presentations fit together, which can only be the Holy Spirit. My audience was very friendly and receptive, which always helps, especially when the speaker has not been up in front of a group of people much in over a decade. :)
My presentation focused on journaling through recording family history (simply put--writing your memories), collecting favorite quotes/words, using prompts when journaling to distract your mind and encourage creative thinking, and alternative forms of journaling that don't include writing, such as collecting photos or recording your voice.
The most rewarding part for me was leading the group through a writing exercise near the end of my presentation and hearing the detailed descriptions of the best day of their lives--a wedding day, a third birthday, and the birth of a son. I encouraged them that, even if they chose not to journal regularly, to look back at the memory and relive the joy they captured in those few minutes of writing.
It was such a blessing to share two of my passions--writing and encouraging people in this journey of life. I hope God will give me more opportunities to speak in the future and that our time together was as much a blessing for the listeners as it was for me.
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