PODCAST SHOW NOTES
Episode Title: Going Home the Longest Way Around: Finding Peace Through Pat Schneider's Poetry
Episode Description:
In this moving episode of her Midweek Pause for Peace series, acclaimed author and writing teacher Laura Davis shares Pat Schneider's profound poem "Going Home the Longest Way Around." Laura reflects on Schneider's dedication to making writing accessible outside traditional academic institutions and explores how stories become maps that guide us to each other. This peaceful interlude combines beautiful imagery with meaningful poetry, offering listeners a moment of reflection and healing.
What Laura Covers in This Episode:
Pat Schneider's revolutionary approach to accessible writing and writing groups
The power of storytelling to create connections between people
How fragments of our lives become maps for understanding
The relationship between memory, fear, and love in our personal narratives
Pat Schneider's gentle method of responding to shared writing
The metaphor of taking "the long way home" through our stories
Episode Highlights & Timestamps
[0:00] Laura introduces Pat Schneider and her mission to democratize writing
[1:15] Reading of "Going Home the Longest Way Around"
[2:45] Reflection on how stories become maps that guide us to each other
[4:20] Exploring the poem's imagery of children in a dark canoe
[5:30] Understanding how love and fear intertwine in our narratives
[6:45] Pat Schneider's three gentle questions for responding to writing
[7:20] The metaphor of "rocking in a dark boat on the water"
About Host Laura Davis
Laura Davis is an acclaimed author and writing teacher with over 35 years of experience guiding writers through their creative journeys. A seven-time author, her award-winning memoir "The Burning Light of Two Stars" won the BookLife Prize in 2021. Laura specializes in helping writers craft meaningful memoirs and personal narratives. Through her writing classes, workshops, and international retreats, Laura has helped thousands of writers find their authentic voice and share their stories with the world.
Key Takeaways from This Episode
Stories as Maps: Our personal narratives serve as guides that help us connect with others and understand our shared human experience
Accessible Writing: Writing and storytelling should be available to everyone, not just those in academic institutions
Memory and Truth: We can create meaningful narratives from fragments, even when our memories aren't perfect
Fear and Love Connection: What we love most can also make us most afraid, revealing our vulnerability and humanity
Gentle Response Method: Pat Schneider's three questions offer a supportive way to respond to shared writing that encourages rather than critiques
Episode Call-to-Action
Follow Laura's work for regular doses of poetry, nature photography, and writing wisdom
Each week, host Laura Davis pairs beautiful imagery with meaningful poetry, offering listeners a respite for both heart and nervous system. These midweek pauses provide essential moments of reflection, healing, and inspiration in our complex world.
Perfect for: Anyone seeking Laura Davis' signature blend of poetry and peace, those managing stress and anxiety, and listeners who appreciate thoughtful, heart-centered content.
Join Laura's Community: Subscribe to Laura Davis' Midweek Pause for Peace series for consistent, nurturing content that honors both your need for beauty and your nervous system's need for calm.
The Writer's Journey with Laura Davis is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support her work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. You'll receive regular posts like these, as well as beautifully curated poems and nature photos, essays on life and the craft of writing, and more.
You can subscribe here: https://laurasaridavis.substack.com/Learn about Laura's writing classes, books, workshops, and international retreats at: https://lauradavis.net/
