Support Group Meeting/

Sitting in the basement of a gym in Chennai
Forty people in a circle on the floor
What brings us together is our different identities,
Our struggles, our brokenness
Regulars, newcomers
IT professionals, teachers, students, psychologists, medical students, artists, doctors,
The challenges and triumphs each person is facing
Newcomers, each with their own experiences

In the small window of sharing, there is a glimpse
of the shadows and struggles of each life
We are not there because of our backgrounds,
we are there because our struggles
bring us there together

In two hours it is over
We mingle, get to know each other,
share numbers, and then disperse

To speak and share my own experience in trust, was a first
It provided a sense of freedom: I had crossed a threshold
They understood what I had gone through, they applauded,
They made me feel that I belonged there in some way,
I was part of their struggles, and they were part of mine
I knew I was not alone
I belonged to a community, a larger community
We could help each other

Orinam was there to support
I felt very happy to be included, to feel part of the collective
I felt that a weight had been taken off my shoulders

There was someone, and some others,
to help me along the way
___

Author: A. Maya
Artist: Param