Yesterday I heard a poet say that writing is an act of redemption, and I couldn’t agree more.

Again and again, writing has saved me. Writing offers small light when the darkness is deep, and provides solace and direction when the days are long and lonely.

The process of writing is wonderfully mysterious. Combining the physical (hand gripping pen) with the mental and emotional (mind unfurling) can produce powerful, unexpected results.

When Kimberley, a young woman in the teen writing group I lead, says, “Writing saved my life,” I recognize her gratitude and sigh with shared relief.

A short bit of her story, and the story of the Young Writers Group, made the news this week. The Newport News Times ran an article about our group (read it here), a program that has enjoyed such success that we’ve added reading and writing programs for younger students, too.

I’m grateful for these students who stretch my heart and sharpen my mind. And I’m thankful, too, for words that rise from darkness to offer light.