To Write Love on Her Arms

Hello from the Jersey Turnpike.

Nov. 12, 2008 at 10:56pm

We just finished the gig in Newark, Delaware and we're heading for NYC. It's late but we're excited to get Zach Williams back to his Brooklyn and his bride. We'll spend our day off in New York tomorrow. Friday night is DC and then we'll be back in Brooklyn Saturday afternoon. The road's been great so far. The colors of the Carolina Fall have had us staring out the windows, considering beauty. The brights are giving way to browns and grays, and we know it won't be long before they fade to white and winter. We are here before those storms.

We've been pushing north, moved more than anything by the conversations we've been having. It's been a privilege to be in these rooms, each night a little different but the same in how they fill with songs, and same in how they fill with people kind and caring, people brave enough to bring their stories and their questions. The nights keep surprising us - we never know exactly how things will play out, who will show up, where the conversation will go, but we leave each night encouraged - humbled by the honesty and kindness of strangers, inspired by the stories.

It's not all easy. There's been talk of loss and losing. There are questions met with silence. There are moments when it's appropriate to cry. But the road and life are lots of things and so some of it is also light. We get to laugh and smile, at Josh and Zach finding jokes in their new friendship, or at the man in Asheville, who wore a fur coat and told us that his hometown is "the Paris of the South". He talked for ten minutes about things we knew nothing about but he thanked us in the end. He thanked us for the conversation and we walked away reminded - reminded that life is better less alone, that people need other people.

More than anything, we're finding folks who want to break the silence. We're finding people willing to wrestle the questions, those their own and the ones that haunt their friends. We're finding people who are daring to believe in things as brave and bright as hope and help and community.

We're humbled, and i can see Manhattan in the distance. Jimmy the intern has never seen this place at night. There aren't words.

We hope to see you soon, somewhere along the way on this surprising journey...

Peace to you.
jamie

Posted in General by jamie tworkowski

Comments (13)

Tonight was pretty incredible for me. Thanks for coming to little Delaware. On a personal note, cutting, suicide, anorexia and bipolar disorder have plagued me for years. But I never really cared about it, until last year. My best friend's fiance died by suicide just over a year ago. It wasn't until it actually affected someone else who I cared about, that I took a stand. She was with me tonight, and although she would never talk about it, I know how deeply your presence resounded in her, and I tonight. There's so much more to say, you guys are just so wonderful, but I really gotta take my meds and go to bed. I've learned the hard way that I have to take care of myself before I can take care of anyone else. Well wishes on your path to Brooklyn.

1 | Left by Kendall | Nov. 12, 2008 at 11:53pm

i think that this is a truly amazing thing that everyone is doing ...... my friends and i are all wearing love on arms right now!!!!

2 | Left by whitney flurnoy | Nov. 13, 2008 at 7:28am

I can't wait to see you guys at Heavy and Light in December. I hope that it will be just as amazing and moving, if not better, as last year.

3 | Left by Katy | Nov. 13, 2008 at 3:12pm

ok i heard about you very briefly a few days ago and i understand that you deal with thinks like depression and other things along those lines but im not exactly clear on everything. What do you do? (sing, talk in teen groups,ect.)Where do you do these things? how do you teach kids about this stuff? you can email me back at fudgey29@yahoo.co.uk i will be checking my email everyday just give it a good subject line cuz thats all i look at with emails

4 | Left by miranda lynn | Nov. 13, 2008 at 5:57pm

Please come to the west coast. Preferably, northwest Washington. No one ever remembers that we live up there, in the loneliest little corner of the world, and that even Seattle is a three-hour drive.

5 | Left by erin | Nov. 13, 2008 at 11:04pm

i wish i knew about this organization sooner i would of tried to go to newark delaware ! i live there :[

6 | Left by anonymous | Nov. 14, 2008 at 8:33am

The story Jamie told about the day in the taco restaurant, when the man said "I am not afraid of your pain." I'm going to remember that for a long time. That really spoke to me.

7 | Left by Alex | Nov. 15, 2008 at 9:20am

you just come to jacksonville, north carolina.
i'd love to see you! (:

8 | Left by Shayna | Nov. 15, 2008 at 9:38am

i meant, you should come!

9 | Left by Shayna | Nov. 15, 2008 at 9:38am

Please, you guys ought to come to Idaho. Me and several others would love to see you and hear you speak!

10 | Left by Lacey | Nov. 15, 2008 at 12:31pm

CT is always ignored cause its so small. There are like no more concerts around here anymore or anything!!! I could be one of those people that complains saying "come to CT", but ill skip that =P
Hope all is going well!!!

11 | Left by BK | Nov. 15, 2008 at 2:00pm

new seeing you at club europa was amazing, truly moving.

i got incredibly lost trying to find it, i never went to the city on my own and when i finally got there i was greeted with smiles and kind people.

thank you so much, honestly..i felt so at home with everyone i felt changed.

jimmy was really nice too :D

12 | Left by elana | Nov. 16, 2008 at 9:52pm

Hi.
Just wanted to say thanks for coming to DC. It was an amazing night and though I was too shy to express my personal story in such a group setting, it had been a hard month for me and being around support like that made all the difference. I have been struggling for years and the other night let me know that I'm not alone, and that there is help out there.
I can't say thank you enough, or express how much that night meant to me. I met with you briefly after but was quiet, so I wanted to let you know how much it meant.
I admire what you're doing, and hope to be at another event soon.
Alexa

13 | Left by Alexa | Nov. 17, 2008 at 7:00am

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