When people come together to write, or read in the company of others, new insights can unfold. We recognise similarities in experiences we thought were uniquely ours, and encounter perspectives we might have never considered on our own. Feeling understood, or even just heard, can remind us that we are not as alone in what we are going through as we might sometimes believe.
Writing alongside one another also allows us to discover how differently people can approach the same subject. A single prompt can lead to entirely different interpretations and stories, and there is no need to agree on everything or even fully understand each other. Sometimes, listening to someone else’s words is enough to make us reconsider our own.
For some, reading becomes a way of travelling beyond prison walls, barbed wire and borders. Throughout history, people have often turned to books during times of despair, finding comfort, hope and a connection to the world within them.
The idea that words can transcend the physical boundaries imposed on us and serve as a tool for preserving memories allows us to imagine a world beyond the circumstances we find ourselves in.
Read the essay on Substack: The Companionship of Writing
