Doing It On Purpose

How can we THINK, TALK, WRITE, DO, BE on purpose?

Hi friends, Brian Doyle's poem, "What Do Poem's Do?" gave us a jumping off place to think about how questions & answers can be circular. The last line of his poem reminds us of the power of words & imagination:

"You have poetry slots/Where your gills used to be, when you lived inside your mother./If you hold a poem right you can go back there. Find the handle. Take a skitter of words and speak gently to them, and you'll see."

Throughout the series, the girls have added their own questions to "The Pickle Jar." The jar is a safe place to ask questions we may not feel like asking in person. Our teen guides did an exceptional job of answering the Pickles. Often, the Pickle Jar is a reflection of our current world state. This session's Pickle Jar included many questions pertaining to sexual inequality. Our girls wondered why super heroes are nearly always men, why boys are harder on girls when they mess up, and why boys make fun of girls when they don't make fun of other boys.

"Does it hurt to grow up?" one girl asked.

It does & it doesn't.

In Girl Group, we work toward feeling comfortable even in uncomfortable situations. Growing up is often uncomfortable. We offer tools for reducing worries, finding & using your voice, advocating for your needs & being a good listener. Doing things on purpose means taking care of yourself.

In closing, we said goodbye to one of our friends. Each girl shared what they wanted to remember about her. "Her heart is so open," said one girl.

This is true of everyone in Girl Group. We are so grateful to be in a circle of such open hearts.

Much Love, Tanya & Wesley