Keeping community

I meet once a month with a group of women (we cheekily call ourselves Design Dames) that are all pursuing different creative passions. None of us wear one title comfortably, but among the four of us are writers, photographers, filmmakers, bloggers, speakers, illustrators, teachers, consultants, artists, graphic designers, and every combination in between.

I leave every meeting with a list of learnings, and it's a list worth sharing. Last night I learned about significant happenings in the Singapore publishing world, and I also learned I can live stream the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. (woo hoo!) In our group, both ends of the spectrum matter. I learned I should read How Children Succeed, Ignore Everybody, and Amy Poehler's new book. These women are good company and good people. They know when to take themselves seriously and when to just order another round of fries.

But today, alone in my study with only my own too-serious voice, I wrestled with knowing how to wear my hats well and didn't have anyone nearby to remind me that what's happening here isn't brain surgery. Thankfully, I stumbled onto On Being and a tremendous interview with the tattooed Lutheran pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber. And like my Design Dames affirmed and Bolz-Weber echoed, perspective and purpose comes from community. I'm an introvert through-and-through, but man, I need others.

After that, it seemed the right thing to doodle some images that will end up as gifts. And later, I will eat some fries.