Read time: 1-2 min
Each of us have stories of times of bewilderment and unknowns. Sometimes, we experience these stories alone, within our own life – experiencing something that others may not be able to fully understand because it’s our unique story. There are also times like we are in now, where we are experiencing bewilderment and unknowns as a collective people – experiencing stories to which many others may relate.
To navigate these trying times, Milkweed Group has been engaging in storytelling — conversation with one another of how each other is.
The Milkweed Group has been meeting via zoom for almost a year now. Isn’t it amazing how zoom has now become so commonplace that it is no longer just the name of a product, but is an active verb? These regular Milkweed Group zoom meetings have represented a gentle time to check-in with one another. We’ve shared our stories — our thoughts and feelings in light of these unprecedented times, full of bewilderment and unknowns. Through sharing, we found some common threads. Some themes we’ve shared together have been:
- Overwhelmed
- Rested
- Exhausted
- Isolated
- Privileged
- Frustrated
- Scared
- How are you? How is your soul?
- What does the future look like? Tomorrow, next week, 1 month from now, 1 year from now?
Honestly, some of these themes and questions left us even more bewildered and confused. Yet, we continued to talk. We continued asking each other. We continued deeply listening to one another. We continued to show up as we were that day and share parts of our stories.
Eventually, we found ourselves also asking: What can we do? How do we ‘show up’ in this time of need, for ourselves and for others? What matters?
We didn’t want to produce something for the sake of producing something, and we didn’t want to cause more ‘noise’ in a world full of so much. We realized that maybe we are already doing what we need to be. We are ‘showing up’ in a time of need for ourselves and for others. We are continuing to walk with someone in their struggle, ‘listening them into existence’. We are continuing to listen to story, create space for conversation, and find common threads of humanity. This is the work that matters.