Last week I attended the annual World Burn Congress in Providence, Rhode Island. To describe it as a love-fest feels too hippyish, but the sense of community fostered certainly operates as an incubator for warm fuzzies, growth and healing.
That sense is never more prevalent than in the open mic sessions. Sometimes brutal, often raw and heart-wrenching, the stories that unfold fall on ears attune to the layers of grief and sadness weaved through the narratives. Some moments overwhelm the auditorium but the incubator doesn’t falter.
Because finding one’s voice is an awakening, a colossal first step toward acknowledging often years of repressed feelings erupting through a mist of denial. The dawning of recovery requires bravery. Seeks hope. Savors a hug of encouragement… The knowing is sacred.