#DearCinnaMoms: An Evening With Poet Laureate Georgina Marie Guardado
After introductions from fellow CinnaMoms in attendance and a few of our community health partners, CinnaMoms came together virtually on the dawn of Spring, to welcome and celebrate the return of a special guest and very dear friend to WIC and CinnaMoms, Georgina Marie. Georgina is not only a former member of the WIC family from Northern California, she is a writer, editor, and the 2020-2024 Poet Laureate from Lake County, California. Her aim with this visit, to guide us through writing prompts that help examine our state of mind, and bring to light the importance of self-care as we work to improve our mental health.
As an award winning literary artist and as Poet Laureate, Georgina used her gift not only to inspire the poet inside us all, but provide us with another tool to examine our feelings for the practice of self-care. With her guidance we began pouring our hearts to paper.
Writing Prompt 1
So how am I feeling right now, really? 5 mins
How am I feeling right now, really?
At least for the moment, I am calm.
Calm, for a gentle music fills the air as I ponder the weight of these words.
Soothed by the harmonious tones and distant ocean waves that fill this digital space,
They are the invisible hands that that reach inside and cradle a tumultuous mind,
And like gentle ocean tides, draw my stress away as they recede.
How am I feeling right now?
My mental self stands on a distant beach,
On a world painted in radiant orange, reds, and pinks from a setting sun,
My serenity.
With my feet planted firmly in soft shifting sands,
I become increasingly aware that the ocean waves do pull and take,
Will soon come rushing back.
Dear CinnaMoms,
How do you feel right now, really?
Writing Prompt 2
For our second writing prompt we were instructed to write a list of things we want to write about, and a list of things we would rather not. It was followed by another round of sharing where many CinnaMoms described in their works. A common theme was an increasing awareness of the physical and emotional toll from the struggles from the everyday, and of the things, the people that keep them going.
It is easier to write about the joy in our lives. Opting to write about the positive things in our lives can help build confidence levels by reaffirming our feelings and our beliefs of who we are and serve as a reminder of the blessings in our lives.
I found the act of creating a list of things I did not wish to write about, a taxing one. It was as if taking such an action was an admission of fact, further cementing my fears and insecurities in the core of my being. But would doing so only help identify needs and limitations? Ultimately, acknowledging these “shortcomings” can help begin the healing process, and clear the path for self-improvement.
Writing Prompt 3
Your choice:
What is something that brought a smile to your face or that you’re grateful for?
This could be today or within the last week.
What do you need to do to honor yourself today, or any feelings coming up for you so far?
At CinnaMoms, we are grateful for the lives we have, the life we breathe, the families we keep, and the love we share.
On a personal note, after nearly two decades serving WIC families and recognizing how little time and attention moms that are raising families give themselves, I chose to consider the second option. I share with you on the restrictions and limitations we set for caring and honoring ourselves.
What do we need to honor ourselves today?
Should we ask for time?
The ever fleeting and intangible,
That eternal and nonexistent force that rushes towards us,
And passes instantaneously?
Here we stand, reaching, grasping
A nothingness that holds the greatest treasures of our lives.
I want more time, I need more time…
Or maybe I need only the strength to recognize,
We can make time, and we are worth time!
Do you have a continued interest in poetry and the possibility of publishing your literary works? Reach out to Georgina at www.georginamariepoet.com
Community Resources
For more information on events like these, our Mommy Meet-ups with Rhonda, and our efforts rebuilding a village of support, visit: www.cinnamoms.org/events
Are you looking for in-home or virtual mental health services, support groups and community events to present transmission of intergenerational Trauma?
Contact Lindsay Washington, AMFT, at Familysupport@winla.org (323) 864-0109
Need cash during pregnancy? The California Abundant Birth Project (CA ABP) is a guaranteed income program that works to provide families with the necessary resources to improve perinatal health.
Please visit https://abundantbirthproject.org
Or contact Joy Maina: joy@abundantbirthproject.org
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