One Year of Dewdrops

August 4, 2013 by Dawn Wink 7 Comments

Bouquet from garden

Today marks our One Year of Community within Dewdrops. August 4, 2011 I wrote this and sent to those and sent to those near and dear:

Welcome to my blog, Dewdrops.

The Hummingbird’s Daughter

One evening this past week, I went to Luis Alberto Urrea’s (author of The Hummingbird’s Daughter, The Devil’s Highway) blog and read “Love and Discipline” about his brother’s recent brush with mortality. I wrote Luis a note thanking him for sharing his heart and soul in his blog, my own initial resistance to writing a blog and recent reconsideration, and thanking him for a blog written as doses of writing that knit us together in this wild, heartbreaking, exquisite experience of life.

And Luis Alberto Urrea wrote me back how his fans on Facebook formed Team Juan for his brother, started a prayer chain and Juan is now doing great. Luis finished his note with, “I think you should blog! Yrs., Luis”

When Luis Alberto Urrea tells me, “I think you should blog!” — I listen.

So here is my hope – that this blog will be doses of writing, dewdrops, that might knit us together in this wild, heartbreaking, and exquisite experience of life. Inevitably along the way, there will be thoughts and questions about language, culture, writing, teaching, the land, kids, and anything else that composes the chapters of life. I look forward to our journey together.

Smiles,

Dawn

I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. My life seems to be a series of, “Leap, and the net shall appear.” I had no idea of magic possible, across miles, mountains, deserts, prairie, and oceans. At that time, 39 brave souls subscribed to Dewdrops. I knew they did this out of love and friendship, probably knowing in their hearts that I had no idea what I was doing, yet another leap of faith, and out of love, they leaped into the unknown with me. Our community has grown exponentially since that time. The vast majority of our community has joined since Dewdrops inception. 

Clouds outside our front door.

I look with amazement at the past year. It has been, and continues to be, a year with ever-increasing blessed busyness. There are light years between the busyness of crisis and the busyness of blessings. When the days feel far too short, and I wish I could add hours to each for all that that needs tending, I return again and again to this thought. Energy builds and attracts similar energy. Vast worlds of positive energy swirls and whirls around Dewdrops, because of You. What I have experienced in the past year:

• The paths of life expand and deepen when shared. Life without community of kindred spirits begs loneliness and a mistaken sense that we alone face the hurdles of life. We are all in this together. Each of our lives overflows with blessings and challenges. Alone, this often feel overwhelming. Together, we recognize this shared experience of humanity and are strengthened. Our individual laughter, tears, challenges, loneliness, and wisdom gained flows when shared. I believe this is why we read—to know that we are not alone in this life. 

In honor of our one year of community, I include a few of the writings of the past year. I composed many of these pieces, and many were composed by the members of our community. I only organized and shared what you wrote. For those 39 souls who have been members of our community since August 4, 2011, perhaps (I hope), you’ll find some old friends. Those who are newer to Dewdrops, perhaps some new friends along our shared journey:

The Nest

Textures of Guatemala

Early morning editing

Writing Meadowlark

Vincenzo’s Ghost

Words to Write By—for Writers, Teachers, and People Experiencing Life

The Nest

Will This Book EVER Be Published? What To Do in the Meantime

Ripples

What I Wish for You—Wishes for Teachers

Webs

Dreams and Deadlines in 2013: Some Ideas on Organization

Doris Quintana Brandt, Santa Fe, New Mexico

Writing Spaces of the World

Mosaic: Creating Beauty and Wholeness from the Broken Bits of our Lives

Artists Among Us

Meadowlark—The Veil Thins

Dear Wyatt, Luke, and Wynn—Why We Go To Church

Teaching—Freedom Within Structure and Teaching With Stones

TESOL and Veins of Turquoise: Migration, Immigration, and Language

Good Friday Pilgrimage to el Santuario and Chimayó

Meadowlark—Publication Announcement

Dewdrops, Brian Carnation

Dewdrops Quotes

Anne Hillerman on Writing and her Dad, Tony Hillerman

The Nest Behind the Skull

Lifelines—The Fierce Love of Grandmothers

My Mother’s Hands

Authentic Creative and Professional Community Through Social Media

Raven’s Time: Wildness and Beauty Online Class

Meadowlark

When Your Dad’s a Cowboy

Photo Journal of the Ranch

Pre-Order Meadowlark and Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

Book Launch for Meadowlark at Collected Works, September 14, 4:00 pm

You will find it necessary to let things go…

Meadowlark on Amazon and Discovered Reading Treasures

Dawn Wink

One year ago, with no real idea of the path ahead, I wrote, “So here is my hope – that this blog will be doses of writing, dewdrops, that might knit us together in this wild, heartbreaking, and exquisite experience of life.” 

Photo by Michael Brandt

This past Friday, we experienced the potential and possibility of sharing, friendship, and love. Our dear friends, Rachel and Taylor Gantt, surprised us and another couple with the gift of sharing what they’d won at a fundraiser for our kids’ school before Christmas. We were told to be at their house at 4:00 pm. We didn’t know anything else. Imagine our surprise when a limousine rounded the corner into their driveway to whisk us off to wine tasting, dinner, and sunset on the rooftop terrace overlooking the plaza! Here, a photo of the women’s hands as we rode.

To me, this photo symbolizes that essence of shared humanity, of we’re all in this together, of love. This has been my experience with Dewdrops and remains my hope. From my heart, thank you.

Love,

Dawn

We rise

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