When I made the decision to move from the BC interior to Victoria in early 2020, I was pulled by my connections to people I’d met in Victoria. Over a year prior I had discovered a writing group at the James Bay New Horizons Centre. The group met weekly, and through it, my creative energy was fuelled. The group had been started by Victoria poet Sheila Martindale, but Sheila had been experiencing a health issue and had stepped back for awhile. So her friend and also-poet, Judith Castle, was facilitating it when I began attending. Judith was encouraging and welcoming and passionate about writing and words.

Between Judith, and the energy of the group, my writing began to flow. I felt that a cap had been unscrewed from a well of ink within me. Every week I brought new material to the writing group. And every week, Judith responded with wild enthusiasm to what I read. I remember reading a short piece about a backcountry ski trip I took when I was 18. It was one of those real-life dramas that Readers’ Digest used to like. When I finished reading it, I remember Judith let out a vocal “wow”, banged her hand on the table, and encouraged me to submit it for publication. Several times in the years since, she asked me about it, and eventually, it was published, in Island Writer.

Judith empowered those around her; she gave of herself, and others blossomed. One afternoon at the weekly writing group, I arrived and sat down opposite her at the big table we sat around. Judith noticed the teal blue of the coat I was wearing, looked at the burgundy and teal scarf she was wearing, and called across the table to me. “This scarf is perfect for you, you must have it!” She whipped it off, and passed it to me. That gift has become rich with meaning for me.

Then, perhaps a year or two ago, I heard that Judith was battling cancer, and was receiving hospice care. But Judith was not ready to leave the planet just yet. Her cancer went into remission, and I would run into her sometimes at poetry events. She was always so interested in what other poets were doing.

But cancer did catch up to Judith, and she died at the end of June. I will miss her ebullient energy, and her warm caring.

One of the things Judith passed on to me were some words from the poet Jane Kenyon. They are good words to remind myself of, again and again.

Tell the whole truth

Don’t be lazy, don’t be afraid

Close the critic out when you are drafting something new

Take chances in the interest of clarity of emotion

Be a good steward of your gifts

Protect your time

Feed your inner life

Avoid too much noise

Read good books, have good sentences in your ears

Be by yourself as often as you can

Walk

Take the phone off the hook  (mute the phone)

Work regular hours