I'm in a writing group. We meet every other week, and last night there were only four of us, and going in I anticipated that we would be done early, having plenty of time for quickwrites and maybe be a bit forelorn without all our members. Just goes to show. We had a dynamic discussion of each of the three pieces presented and then veered off into a subject that we all are contemplating: getting older. We discovered none of us quite know what to do with ourselves. The two widows and two long married ladies. Where is the manual that guides us?
We went an hour over time and had to tear ourselves away. I'd tell you in detail about the discussion except that wouldn't be right speech, would it? But right speech, when it is honest and heartfelt is a treasure I have an impulse to share, because it is enlivening, thought provoking and connective. Yes, right speech is connective. It places us in each other's positions, searches for commonalities, and affirms our glorious humanity.
Call me old fashioned, but I like to be in a room with another human being when I speak with her. The emailing, texting, phoning is fine, and sometimes efficient and appropriate. But the talk isn't as free wheeling as what happened last night, and it can't open up a subject and let it flow and divert and meander. Our discussion was spontaneous, exhilarating and somehow so comforting. We have trust and have sworn confidentality to help us feel open to whatever is coming up for us in that moment. The four us us were wide awake and in the moment . What we spoke was what was in our hearts. We've known each other a lot of years, decades, and this trust has happened subtly over time. How lucky we are. Right speech is liberating.
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