Amy Wuthrich
I was going through really rough time when I first read about Squam Art Workshops on a blog I followed throughout a long and lonely maternity leave. I had a newborn baby, was newly divorced, and basically felt like a shell of a person. I never quite felt like my head was above water, many days were spent taking it hour by hour, sometimes minute by minute in order to make it through. The idea that I could do something for just me, go somewhere that was totally new, where I didn’t have to play the role of mama or researcher, where I could just be who I was in that very moment…I could hardly dream of anything quite so lovely. I didn’t know a soul that was going, had no idea who any of the teachers were, had never been to New Hampshire, didn’t consider myself an artist in the least. What on earth was I thinking? Still, on the fateful day when the registration opened…I filled mine out, wrote the check and dropped it in the mail. I had no idea what to expect, but I never once questioned my decision to attend. For whatever reason, I knew I was supposed to be there, so I left my baby with my mom, I boarded a plane, and I went.
The first year there, I took some writing classes and enjoyed them immensely, but what I enjoyed more was the feeling of connectedness I found with the other attendees. The nights by the fire, the afternoons on the docks, and the long meandering walks through the trees were balm to an achy heart, and I was able to more fully put myself back together and reach out to others. Friendships were born, some instantly, and the potential for many others simmered. Despite not knowing a soul when I got to Squam, by the time I left, I knew I had found some new friends and the possibility of some creative support. Already, I had gained more than I had imagined possible.
Each year that I returned to Squam, whatever I needed was waiting there for me. It was almost eerie, the way I found exactly what my soul was seeking. The second year, I renewed friendships and made even more, and delved a bit deeper into new ways of telling my story. The third year I attended Squam by the Sea and truly enjoyed the more intimate setting. I found the healing that the sea always brings to me, and a special gift that made me a believer in my own brand of magic. This last year, I again journeyed to New Hampshire and was profoundly affected by the deep and honest realization that I was completely and totally comfortable in my own skin. There are shining moments from each year, and the cherished memories have helped me chart my own personal growth, much like a mother marks her children’s height on the pantry door.
Four years after my first time at Squam, I am a changed person. I’m no longer barely surviving- I’m thriving. I am truly happy with where I am at, as a woman and as a mother. I have so many friends who have come into my life through Squam and their presence in my life is something I am grateful for every single day. I am proud of who I am, of how I’ve gotten to where I am, and of the life I have built. Squam gave me some huge gifts that helped me on this path - It helped me learn to push my edges, to think creatively, to know that I am loved and held, and to trust and act on my own inner voice. Squam is an important force in my life, one that I cherish and love. I can’t imagine where I’d be without it, and I will forever be grateful for the opportunities I have had to attend.
The first year there, I took some writing classes and enjoyed them immensely, but what I enjoyed more was the feeling of connectedness I found with the other attendees. The nights by the fire, the afternoons on the docks, and the long meandering walks through the trees were balm to an achy heart, and I was able to more fully put myself back together and reach out to others. Friendships were born, some instantly, and the potential for many others simmered. Despite not knowing a soul when I got to Squam, by the time I left, I knew I had found some new friends and the possibility of some creative support. Already, I had gained more than I had imagined possible.
Each year that I returned to Squam, whatever I needed was waiting there for me. It was almost eerie, the way I found exactly what my soul was seeking. The second year, I renewed friendships and made even more, and delved a bit deeper into new ways of telling my story. The third year I attended Squam by the Sea and truly enjoyed the more intimate setting. I found the healing that the sea always brings to me, and a special gift that made me a believer in my own brand of magic. This last year, I again journeyed to New Hampshire and was profoundly affected by the deep and honest realization that I was completely and totally comfortable in my own skin. There are shining moments from each year, and the cherished memories have helped me chart my own personal growth, much like a mother marks her children’s height on the pantry door.
Four years after my first time at Squam, I am a changed person. I’m no longer barely surviving- I’m thriving. I am truly happy with where I am at, as a woman and as a mother. I have so many friends who have come into my life through Squam and their presence in my life is something I am grateful for every single day. I am proud of who I am, of how I’ve gotten to where I am, and of the life I have built. Squam gave me some huge gifts that helped me on this path - It helped me learn to push my edges, to think creatively, to know that I am loved and held, and to trust and act on my own inner voice. Squam is an important force in my life, one that I cherish and love. I can’t imagine where I’d be without it, and I will forever be grateful for the opportunities I have had to attend.
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