I Found A Reason To Speak: Oneness for a Generation is a picturesque collection of poems, the author curated in his walk, observing nature’s conservation to build a stronger bond with his family. The poems reflect how his words and actions changed when he took the time to listen and engage.
One of the author’s mentors told him, “Attitudes, beliefs and behaviors are the most difficult things to change about the human condition. They are the most critical things we need to change as a human collective in order to move forward.”
The hardest relationships to build can be with family. We spend most of our developing years with them, yet still have difficulty understanding who they are and why they do the things they do. After so many failed attempts, I gave up. I spent years writing off and on in my journal as a way to free myself and confiding in mentors to grow. Those mentors helped me to gravitate back towards my family and I’m glad they did.
Start the conversation.
“Clay’s ability to weave individual testimonies into a cohesive narrative is both skillful and innovative. The book balances personal stories with reflective analysis, resulting in a compelling and accessible work that is both scholarly and deeply human. His writing is clear, evocative, and filled with a sense of urgency, capturing the authenticity of his interviewees’ voices while maintaining a scholarly framework. The originality of Clay’s approach lies in his ability to combine rigorous historical inquiry with the emotional depth of oral storytelling, making the book a unique contribution to both the academic field and the broader public discourse.”
Mr. James McCullough
CADC, Public Outreach and Community Engagement
I just want to have a conversation. My lens is more open, more focused, more driven with less opposition. As a man, I want to continue to grow with a strong family bond. It's central to my world. It's in minds eye.
Connection is Cultivated through Conversation.
These conversations are tough. We expect so much. We see the potential in our loved ones. Saying things like, "GET UP!" When its more to it. That is simply NOT ENOUGH. We see the ups and downs. We overthink or we don't think at all. We're blunt. We blurt out hurt. We interpret and disassociate. We assume and we don't ask questions.
I want something different...
Conversations gives us a chance to listen, to grow, to heal, to laugh, to cry, to build, to reflect, to empathize, to ask questions, to compromise, to understand life is nuanced.
It takes work to build a family.
Love is action, love is... words expressing an emotion, love are the seeds we conceive. No one said it would be easy, but you have a reason to speak your peace. Our ancestors chose the Garry and so did we. As we try, they cleaved. They spoke life into each other. It wasn't a fairy tale. They fought, but they knew how to come back to each other. Their bonds were tighter. Our words and actions must inflect the care we desire.
Words give me autonomy to move freely. My world is centered around my family. Here's some of our stories told through poetry by yours truly.
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PODCAST TOPICS
LET YOUR VISION LEAD YOUR STORY
FAMILY HISTORY | STORYTELLING | CREATIVE WRITING | POETRY & MORE...
