I took a couple of days off from the challenge because nothing was flowing. I didn’t want to force anything if I weren’t truly invested in it. That said, I am back. This piece just flowed out.
Speaking of Brokenness
To be human is to be broken
And break we must
Before we witness our true nature
Divine beings in diverse Earth suits
It is our duty to seek the others
Who think they are broken
And sit with them
To draw out the Truth
In our brokenness
We are one step closer
In our wholeness,
Who we really are
There is no single atom
Which is not truly Divine.
The past nine years have been a journey of epic proportions, as they say. Fortunately, I can now glimpse the light at the end of the tunnel. This is my fourth Poem-A-Day for April, and my favourite so far. Continue reading →
Since first picking up Bird by Bird: Some Instruction on Writing and Life several years ago, I have adored Anne Lamott for her refreshing attitude to life itself. I found her latest essay on Facebook yesterday, when the walls of my mind felt as though they were closing in.
‘The truth is, everyone worth his or her salt–all your very best people– feel broken, stunned, overwhelmed and defection some of the time.’
– Anne Lamott, 30th May 2015
If you feel as though you are in the ring at the moment, take a look at the rest of Anne’s essay – you may find something helpful in there.
What lifts you up when you’re feeling down? Let’s talk in the comments.
Sorry for my silence here – it’s been a little hectic behind the scenes.
A couple of months ago, I discovered Ignite Cardiff. The first talk I watched was by Christina Thatcher, on the subject of writing about grief. Whilst reading up on the concept of Ignite Cardiff on Twitter, I discovered another talk. Claire Greaves, mental health advocate and Huffington Post writer, was talking about her experience of anorexia.
‘Anorexia has the highest fatality rate of any mental illness. Sufferers can die from malnutrition, heart failure and suicide.’
I heard those words, and they stopped me in my tracks. That was when I turned the video off for the first time. Too many memories, few of them good. I didn’t think I’d be able to watch it again.
However, I decided to continue to follow Claire’s work, and duly discovered her articles for the Huffington Post. Within a few weeks, I heard that Claire had launched a project entitled ‘How Are You? Honestly!’ which aims to turn ‘How are you?’ back into a question, with an answer, rather than a greeting.
From the first, I understood exactly why Claire is doing this, and the importance of the project. I’m guilty of ‘I’m fine.’ So, I threw my support behind her as much as I could, and I’m delighted to say that the post with ‘nearly 5000 honest words’ went live yesterday.
Head over and check it out – and don’t forget to tell Claire I sent you. 🙂
Today marks eight years since my dear friend Chris Thomas left her body. Her friendship was among the greatest blessings that have ever been in my life. Those who say that friendships which are solely online are in some way lesser most likely never knew somebody like Chris. Continue reading →
My silence here has been partly related to the workload of my MA in Professional Writing, and partly due to taking some time for self-care. I couldn’t let World Poetry Day pass me by, though.
As I wrote on Twitter earlier:
A day without words
No celebratory verse
True writerly guilt
#WorldPoetryDay
Today, I’m linking up with Microblog Mondays to share at least one new post this week. Find out more here.
I know things have been quiet around here. I’ve not been writing as much as I would like, but I remain hopeful that I will return to regular writing soon. I’m excited to share something that’s happening next week, though. In seven years of dealing with loss, I’ve found writing to be one of the most helpful things. So, I’ve started a local group for people who want to do just that.
I’m looking forward to both providing a platform and exploring my own feelings in a new environment. Wish me luck!
I look forward to sharing a new Faber Quickfic piece on Friday.
If the last four weeks and the prior seven years have taught me anything, it is this: grief is a process. At times, it is messy, always unwelcome, and often unpredictable. Grieving is a process of becoming, after loss. When we are in the midst of pain we can and do end up forgetting that. I know I have. Continue reading →
I am on a journey, for which there is no map. Others have walked similar routes, but none has been quite the same, nor will they be. I am trying to record what I am learning as I make my way through this journey, but there is only so much I can share. On a day when feelings have come out sideways, as four letter words, I offer this. I don’t pretend to speak for anybody else with these words, they are simply my notes. Continue reading →
Casey Bottono 