This morning I stayed home to participate in The Hatch, a monthly gathering of over 200 people who are connected through their interest in journalling. Many people, like the founder, Suleika Jaouad struggle with chronic illness; others have joined (as I did) shortly after its start during the Covid shutdown. Today I chose to writeContinue reading “Blank pages”
Category Archives: the isolation journals
The Shape of Goodbye
The Isolation Journals prompt for this week is to “write a goodbye you wish you’d said, or need to say.” Over 34 years ago my little brother was lying in hospital, dying from cancer. I was living and working overseas, with 3 young children and a 4th on its way. My husband knew how muchContinue reading “The Shape of Goodbye”
Daisies
I had to update my phone recently. It fell out of my hands one too many times, and the cracked screen didn’t allow me to read my messages easily. The new phone takes better photos. These are daisies…perhaps African daisies, but my free iPlant app is correct only about 20% of the time so itContinue reading “Daisies”
Things to look forward to
For two years now I have been a part of “The Isolation Journals” community. We are sent regular prompts to encourage creativity, meet monthly when available on the Hatch, for an hour of journaling, or being otherwise creative, and following Suleika’s journey through illness and healing. Sometimes the prompts don’t help, and I can’t findContinue reading “Things to look forward to”
The car
The car was not my car. It was left behind for me to use when my parents moved away. It came with the house. I can’t even recall the colour, or the model or make. The car was what I learned to drive at the age of 16, a few years before my parents moved.Continue reading “The car”
Exhaustion
I am tired. I long to return to this beautiful small island and walk through the forest and climb among the moss covered trees. Last September a young couple had invited me to their wedding. As one of only 40 guests I was very honoured to be there to witness the day. The ceremony tookContinue reading “Exhaustion”
Power of Music
Twelve years ago I had the opportunity to experience many “firsts”. Shortly after my husband died, I joined my daughter and the choir she was singing with on a trip to New York. Here are some of the firsts for me: first time in New York City. first time walking through (and getting lost in)Continue reading “Power of Music”
The King’s Barge
Auntie Tamada was a very special woman, a distant aunt to my first husband. We lived with her for a few months when we first married, and kept in touch through the years. Her name, Tamada means “ordinary” in Thai. She was far from ordinary. She loved life, and people, and food. Once when myContinue reading “The King’s Barge”
Dead Wrong
This morning I decided to try to move out of my shell a bit, and joined in on the Hatch, a monthly virtual coffee hour for those who support the Isolation Journals. What I didn’t realize was that when we are encouraged to write it’s difficult to get started. So, I looked at one ofContinue reading “Dead Wrong”
Giant
From the “Blessed Shiver” prompt from the Isolation Journals, I am encouraged to write about one of my earliest memories in vivid detail. There are a few memories from the age of three or four….decades before starting kindergarten! I was the middle child of four siblings: my older brother, and younger twins were the onesContinue reading “Giant”
Reflections 