Letter To...

‘Turning Point’ is a pivotal moment in your life that brings you in a new direction. Things become a lot clearer and you are moving forward again. In a narrative it can be the climax followed by the resolution. In maths it can be the stationary point of the compass moving round and round, pressing it’s subject.

There I was with every orifice open to the five women delivering their very personal letters at Women of Letters* at Thornbury Theatre on a miserable Melbourne Sunday afternoon.

With a Cab Sav in one hand I listened to the very diverse panel of Australians.  The first lady discussed her breast reduction and poor self image rather humorously. The next talked about her choice to be involved in filming over being a musician. The third let us in to her very raw feelings for a past boyfriend with an anxiety disorder. The following had a similar turning point when she realised she was clinically depressed. Through a video link up we listened to one lady and gained an insight into politics and how being a school mum was her turning point to fight for democracy. The fifth and final speaker was eccentric and fittingly as wild as her red hair. Her turning point was when Winona Ryder was caught for shoplifting,. Her idol caught like a deer in the headlights. A nice lighthearted final speaker.

All were read with purpose and beautifully and tastefully articulated. No tears and self-indulgent comments. Just a moment when we as a collective body felt that turning point and lived it for those six or so pages of each letter.

After the speakers had presented their letters, we had an opportunity to write a postcard or aerogram ourselves. I can proudly say that I was one of Marieke Hardy’s missal writers. Keeping the art of snail mail alive. I even posted it!

It was such a wonderful moment when I realised my recipient was one of my turning points and told me to write because I never knew what it could truly bring to me until I tried.

Being there was a turning point…

*On the last Sunday of the month six different women from interesting celebrity, sporting, pioneering, musical, political etc backgrounds come together to respond to a topic via a letter (read aloud by them) to like-minded women and men. The whole purpose is to preserve the ritual of letter writing and help fund a vegan farm in Kilmore called Edgar’s Mission.

I was lucky enough to be attending with a dear friend who also happens to be Marieke’s cousin and we sat in the front row, ears tuned to the creative thoughts of these women.

All the letters are unsighted and uncollaberated beforehand and can be humorous, soul searching, outrageous and more often than not inspiring.

The speakers I listened to this month were Maude Davey, Natalie Van Den Dungen, Sian Prior, Missy Higgins, Joan Kirner and Lorelai Vashti