In New York’s East Village, I joined the daily yoga sessions at the quite marvellous Yoga to the People. Each class closed with a quote. Today’s was by George Eliot. “What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?”
It chimed with me and helped me remember the real aims of my research.
There are huge rewards for writers developing work with communities. Excitement that may not be found on the page, stage or online. Working creatively with elders, for me, feels like a pretty good way to contribute to other people’s wellbeing, to help make things happier, or just easier, for others in some small way.
Photograph taken at an Alzheimer’s Poetry Project Memory Arts Cafe event, Brooklyn.
writers meet elders 
Hi Gemma. I’m following your every move/blogpost with great interest and I’ve so much to say, reply, share, ask, discuss! Especially as some of your visits reflect my own WCMT trip ie Gary Glazner. I’m in a constant state of questioning, reflecting, re-writing as well as preparing, creating, imagining my next creative writing workshop with older people. And I love, love, love New York. Keep on telling us all about it!
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