I was reading Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman and he was talking about how the life of an oppressed child can limit their own self-definition. Their youthful hopes and experiences of exploring new landscapes are limited by their surroundings and the lessons they must learn in order to survive. I took this opportunity within Mother Mercy to explore new landscapes within me. I find the culture of thought and reflection within the group as being a useful method for exploring inner landscapes with a youthful exuberance. Having a creative outlet helps me deal with the traumatic experiences associated with active participation in ongoing genocide against yourself and your own people. The creative outlet helps me think about abandonment, grief, lost time, and wasted potential. I have written here some of my journal entries that guided my vision of the characters and settings in my story.
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