what we seek is also seeking us
Guess what fellow bloggers? I'm around other writers today — but like, in real life.
In efforts to get out of my head and break the monotony, I've been searching local and online options for community writing groups.
I suppose I have been working towards this moment slowly, first finding Kundiman, an org focused on uplifting AAPI writers, near the end of 2024.
That led me then to WeWriteLV, which is hosting a "write in" today. This concept is new to me — it's a writing accountability session, entirely self-directed, not formatted as a class or workshop.
This might seem entirely mundane to more socially adjusted people, but this experience is completely novel to me. My first dip into the waters, my first act of courage to introduce myself as a 'writer' in-person.
Cultural expectations and attitudes on creativity
Growing up, my family threw big gatherings - hosting 30-50 people was common for each family household. At the time, most of the Filipino adults I knew worked in healthcare, or were lawyers, or in insurance or accounting of some sort.
"Go to college, get your degree, make good money, repeat."
The agenda was clear: us kids were to claim high-paying salaries, to build wealth and bragging rights for the current and future generations.
Creativity was seen as a 'nice' hobby, but only something to indulge in once you've secured a 6 figure salary, or an impressive house, or college funds for your kids. There were only 5 adults that I knew of who prioritized passion: a cruise chef, a pastry chef, a wedding photographer, and two actors1.
Are these my people?
So to see other AAPIs embracing their creative voices, which actually many here today happen to be Filipino, is such a refreshing sight. We're all just writing, typing, and tapping away, nurturing our creative projects through mutual quiet concentration.
Some even shared their works-in-progress, seeking feedback on their poems. Their rhythm and raw vulnerability ignited something dormant within me. Witnessing their courage feels like receiving a permission slip to seek reconciliation with my own poetic voice — a very intimate part of myself I've allowed to become a stranger.2.
Coming together in this write-in feels rebellious. It is a direct opposite of the relentless productivity, material greed, and social status competitions I witnessed throughout my childhood. I smile to myself, touched by what feels undeniable in this moment: what we seek in life is also seeking us.
It may take weeks, months, years, or decades, but it is never too late to reclaim your dreams and passions.
If you dream of creating something, people dream of witnessing it — to be transformed by it and to transition into a new paradigm.
For me, writing ends when the words are read by someone else. The reader is just as important as the writer. Both are necessary for the words to truly serve their purpose in this world. - by VonGiorno!
Thanks for being here.
Sincerely,
Nadine ♥
I was born and raised in Southern California, so Hollywood's shiny lights and dreamy allure weren't far or impossible to pursue.↩
I don't know how else to say this... but I used to write so many poems and thought of myself as a poet when I was younger. After decades of neglect, I'm afraid my poetic voice will refuse to return. Maybe I'll coax her out gently and share a few attempts next week. Fingers crossed!↩