Volunteer writer Leah Langley reviews the good stuff of her 2020 and talks us through the creativity and community that she hopes to carry through this year and beyond.
2020 was a crazy year for us all. It was a time of inner turmoil and chaos as we rarely knew what to expect, but it also taught us a lot. I wrote a letter in my journal about the things that I hoped to carry forward with me in the new year:
“I hope to carry forward the creativity that has been released within me. The creativity that niggles inside my brain each day itching to be released as words into my journal. The creativity that has allowed some of my innermost thoughts to be heard and understood. The creativity that has uncovered hidden parts of myself.
I hope to carry forward the inspiration I have found amongst the online journaling community. I’ve loved reading all of the posts that have been shared amongst the group. Everyone has such incredible stories that they have shared. And they have been magical to read. Each one has inspired me in different ways.
I hope to carry forward the bravery I’ve found within myself. Before I uncovered the journaling group, I never would have imagined sharing my words with people in such a way. I couldn’t ever have imagined sharing the stories I have and yet, there with all of them, I have braved the storm and shared my words.
I hope to carry forward the courage that I have discovered within myself. Sharing each of my journal entries has taken more courage than I could have imagined, but I’ll always be grateful that I found it from within. I’ve been able to speak about parts of me that have been left unspoken for years, and this has allowed me to start healing in new ways.
I hope to carry forward my words. A strange one I know, but I hope that I can keep writing with the same tenacity and heart that I’ve had throughout this journaling project. They’ve all taken on a new meaning, and they’ve all had a purpose, and that is something I hope to continue.
Above all, I hope to carry forward the friendships I’ve forged with everyone. The group has been the biggest support a person could ever wish for. We’ve shared all the high and lows, the good times and the bad times. We’ve connected in remarkable ways and been a comfort for each other during such a turbulent time. We’ve navigated our way through the most thought-provoking prompts, and we’ve received each other with love and support.
I hope to carry forward all that the year has allowed us to create. Forever.”
Header designed by Christos Alamaniotis
