Thank you to everyone who joined us for this session!

For this session we read an excerpt from “Wandering Stars” by Tommy Orange, posted below.

Our prompt was: “Write about what is lost in the taking?”

Participants are warmly encouraged to share what you wrote below (“Leave a Reply”), to keep the conversation going here, bearing in mind that the blog of course is a public space where confidentiality is not assured.

Also, we would love to learn more about your experience of these sessions, so if you’re able, please take the time to fill out a follow-up survey of one to two quick questions!

Please join us for our next session Monday June 9th at 6pm EDT, with more times listed on our Live Virtual Group Sessions.

Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange excerpt from pg. 83

Well he’s only got the one eye, but it’s got more life in it than I’ve seen in some men with two. And I’ve seen worse when they know what they want and they’re hungry for it, white men in this country, they come to take everything, even themselves, they have taken so much they have lost themselves in the taking, and what will be left of such a nation once they are done? My mother once said, “A nation is not conquered until the hearts of its women are on the ground. Then it is finished, no matter how brave its warriors, or how strong their weapons.” I wondered about the women’s hearts on the ground. And I wondered about American women. White women. Where were their hearts? I take solace in knowing my heart is still in my chest, that yours is in there too, beating like a drum waiting for its dancer, keeping me on my feet, ready for a rhythm, ready for what’s next, because what’s next is always coming.

Your father had a harder time at the school, because he was a boy but also because of his freckles, which he had on account of him being a half-breed, which meant he got it bad from both sides. No one wanted him because he didn’t seem like he belonged enough on either side.

Sometimes the look on his face got so bad it seemed to be saying he didn’t even belong to himself, did not even want to belong to himself.

Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange p. 83

Credit: Tommy Orange