Fostering Connection

Fosterverse Weekly #14

Aug 06, 2024

Hey Writers!

Very early this morning, I returned to my home in Sonoma, California after a weekend retreat in upstate New York with my fellow Foster Stewards and some of our Contributors.

Reflecting on the experience, I was struck by how great it feels to connect with people in real life whom I’ve previously only known in online spaces.

When I saw

Anthony Pica

emerge from his car, I was surprised by how tall he was. After all, I had only seen him from his shoulders up on Zoom beforehand. And yet, in the next moment, his presence seemed familiar and nothing about our interaction felt stilted or forced.

I felt the same easeful feeling with every other person too.

As we all settled into the weekend, I thought about how countless other people in the broader Foster Collective would fit right in too. It makes sense because we’ve spent dozens of hours together in virtual rooms where we sit with, feel into, and write about what’s important and alive for us. Yes, they’re online containers, but they’re more than a generic meeting or a hangout with friends—they’re an invitation to be vulnerable and authentic and to delve into what’s alive for us as writers and humans.

This is what I love about what we do at Foster—we foster connection.

The best way to begin to understand and feel what Foster’s all about, or “imbibe the vibes” as Anthony put it during the retreat, is to join one of our Free Public Writing Circles.

Join a Free Writing Circle

Lyle