Friday, April 06, 2012

My Mother's Red Shawl - El Rebozo Colorado
Corinne McConchie - Librarian







I like being part of this red shawl series. The shawl tells its own story and as well it invites many individuals together in their respective identities to share their stories and to join something and create together.

There is a beauty in groups, people feeding off each other’s energy, resonating with their shared stories and ideas. At the same time, it is good to let the individual take up space, to be heard and seen and honoured, not lost in the crowd. I love how in this series each person here has a turn. Each can take up the same amount of time and space, and each can be seen and known briefly in turn. This honours the individual and the group too.

While I have a craving to really be heard, in groups I tend to speak last or not at all, often not sure what I wish to say or how to say it best. I’ll make way for others as I figure myself out. Sometimes the time passes me by in my hesitation. I am not entirely clear where this tendency comes from. Did I learn it in childhood as a way to be safe? I suspect, yes. There must have been a reward to me when growing up for letting others take up the conversational space. I still do it by habit but am not happy about that. I really must get to the bottom of this.

As I thought about what to say now that the floor is mine, I went all over the place up in my head and nearly didn’t speak. How like me that is! How I do this little story is how I do my life!

I finally decided I can at least say that. If I wait until I am clever and profound and perfect, I will wait forever and the moment will be lost.



Rachel Ditor Dramaturg
Patrick Reid Statesman, Flag Designer
Michael Varga CBC Cameraman
Bronwen Marsden Playwright/Actress/Director
David Baines Vancouver Sun Columnist
Alex Waterhouse-Hayward Photographer
Lauren Elizabeth Stewart Student
Sandrine Cassini Dancer/Choreographer
Meredith Kalaman Dancer/Choreographer
Juliya Kate Dominatrix