Was that thing you always needed there all along?

In 1995, a friend referred me to the Unitarian Church of Baton Rouge (UCBR) when I needed a spiritual home for my family. This year, another friend, knowing my passion for writing practice and groups, told me about Amherst Writers and Artists (AWA).

A common discovery when people attend their first service at UCBR are the people they already knew and liked. I’ve attended a handful of AWA sessions and meetings. The facilitators, leaders, and participants are like people I already knew and liked. They speak my language.

This week I received Writing Alone and With Others, the book I’ll read before I begin AWA training. The first page I turned to was about the benefits of writing with the non-dominant hand. I’ve been writing a bit with my left hand every morning for four years. I found my people. Pat Schneider, author of this 2003 book, began developing the AWA method in 1979. She died in 2020, but her voice and her method are as familiar as family, something I’ve sensed all along.

This organization speaks my language because they remind participants “We’re all writers.” They create safe spaces for writing practice and make workshops and classes accessible to all. This organization, like my church, leans into social justice initiatives and allyship.

These two important revelations came to me through friends not through diligence and research, not through disciples at the door or billboards on the highway. Word of mouth. A friendly, “Why don’t you try…?”

Are you open to gentle revelations from friends? Imagine the organizations and groups just waiting to take you in, to validate your passions and provide safe spaces to explore them. They’ve probably been there all along.

©Pennie Nichols. All Rights Reserved. 2025