art a la carte

I mentioned, not long ago, that I was going to be filling some of my free time with volunteer work. I am excited to finally be able to share what I've been doing.

I responded to an ad for an organization, Art a La Carte, that provides art work to the bedside of cancer patients who are unable to leave the hospital.

They were looking for a creative writer. Someone who could put into words the experiences the volunteers were having with the patients.

I submitted my pieces and then I got the "job".

Sometimes it's hard. Sad hard. People do hard things.

At first I struggled, a tiny bit, with the idea of giving my writing away for free. But I also wanted to write. And this writing position provided me with an opportunity to do something totally different than what I do here on this blog.

After I wrote my first two pieces I no longer felt as though I was giving anything away for free. For these stories are not mine.

I merely give a voice to the experience.

As much as I look forward to every piece I get to write, it means, sadly, that somewhere someone's heart is breaking.

Soon I will have the opportunity to go into the hospital and shadow these sweet volunteers who visit with these sick people and provide them with the art work of their choice. This will be hard for me.

For I am an emotional girl.

Here are the first two pieces I wrote for them.

My Bear

and

The Power of One.