What an incredible piece of writing, Julie. So many beautiful ideas wrapped in sentences I had to read twice, or thrice.
Dark night of the December soul, indeed. Where you've been numbing to move through a time, I've been surrendering to feeling so many feelings inside the complexity of my grief. Guilt, regret, loneliness. Love. So much love.
What a wild ride we are on....made all the richer by poets like you sharing and wearing their insides out. Blessings to you, my sister. ❤️
So pleased to see you back on Substack. I’ve missed you. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. It is indeed a strange time. I’m reminded of Yeats - things fall apart, the centre cannot hold. But at least we are past the Solstice now and our hopes can grow as the days lengthen. I love the cadence of “All You Have”, puts me in mind of Christina Rossetti, and such an important realisation - we have a plenty if we open ourselves to it. Wishing you a Merry Christmas Julie.
Thank you Christian. I haven’t felt very communicative really, quite blank. But I wanted to end on a hopeful note. The reminder that it’s all up to us, it all lies within us.
Your poems are brilliant but it was your prose intro that really got me.
You're quite right to invoke that dreadful rape case in France. I don't want to belittle that poor woman's trauma but we are all suffering from trauma right now. It's as if we are living among people who have been terribly defiled - without even realising it.
It's particlarly difficult at this time of the year, when material comfort and possessions seem to trump any spiritual dimension. But already the days are beginning to lengthen ever so slowly and, before we know it, it will be warm again.
I absolutely love the way you lay down your thoughts, both in prose and poetry Julie.
I always resonate, and need to read more of your absorbing creative shares.
Your words are not only engaging, deeply reflective and uplifting, in as much as they inspire me to offload my own thoughts onto paper or screen ..
They bring to life the beautiful language of English in all its complex and glorious randomness.
Clatter and darkness have dragged me away from brilliance (light) in the form of writings such as your own.
Like you, I dipped last month.
Had a few words with myself.
Decided to re-frame.
It worked.
Am still feeling weary. Although not as profoundly.
As jumbled, negative sentiments about the coming months of my own regathered in new shape, a lightness showed up, which - in turn - has already brought some perfect synergy back into play ..
The type of happenings one could never orchestrate.
Re-framing.
That’s my word of the month.
PS You inspire me to think about launching a SubStack channel. Am unsure who would want to read my outpourings. 😅
PPS You should turn your poetry into a book. I’ll be doing that with mine as soon as the current collection has spawned to sufficient pages. I read your beautiful verse and downgrade my own to ‘unworthy.’ Ha. Imposter syndrome is real.
Imposter syndrome is most definitely real, I hear you. Keep picking yourself back up, building and sharing, however you feel you should. Someone will always need to hear your words. And sometimes we ourselves are that person. We observe, document and grow. And hopefully get better at this ‘life thing’ as we do xx
Thank you. I need to catch up with yours too. Not been on here much of late. Once the solstice passes I think we physically feel the weight lifted and the light flooding into our hearts x
Yes, the winter solstice feels like a warm blanket I just want to cuddle up and hibernate into its softness. If I try to force my energy this time of year I feel drained. The lights coming back in! Joy! ✨🤍✨
This rings true for me and a lot of seniors. I used to decorate a lot for Christmas, but it gets more and more difficult, so we decided just to do a tree in the house but this year we are going to her daughter's house, so I had a lot of leaves to get up (which I am not finished with). A lot of people think retirement is great and it is if getting on a ladder isn't dangerous for you around Christmas time. I started not to type this because I am sure everyone will have a lot of "what if's" and "you could do this" ideas but you must be in a lot better shape than me.
Thank you. Glad you’re in a peaceful place. I have son and family here tomorrow until Thursday. I don’t see them too often as they live away. We’d been estranged for a while over the jibby you might remember. I had planned to be on my own but I don’t think the kids liked the sound of that. Hopefully it will be lovely. Xx
Oh wow Julie, you write so powerfully about this collective numbness. I sense such truth in your words ⚡Starshine in the dark, and hope. I'll subscribe now.
You too Janette. Since the solstice, I’ve felt more peaceful. Son’s December birthday is over, my mum is here safe, the gifts bought and I will certainly do my best to enjoy it and count my blessings.
Welcome back Julie. So nice to hear from you again. It’s as if you wrote your first poem, “Stuck in my head” just for me, it resonates that much. Simply amazing.🩵
Hello Grace. Yes that was the first one I wrote. I feel I’m coming through it now. The onset on winter makes me freeze. Our own head can feel like such a prison can’t it? Sending love to you. X
Julie l like, All you have and Present .I know where you are, like an actress in a play going trough the motions and playing at being someone else, shutting out the pain.ln Present as here ,in class where l didn't want to be . My mind would go to dream.I am sensitive and I still go to dream.I need the light in my mind,and clarity in a mad world.l take depression in winter when the light comes back in March l am better.I am so glad you're back writing 💐👏 Julie Have a lovely Christmas to you and your🎄🌟♥️ family.Your gift is there in your writing.X
Thank you for your comment. Numbing oneself is a defence mechanism isn’t it? It’s what we do when we can no longer bear to feel yet have to ‘turn up’. Zone out.
But we must keep healing ourselves. Keep looking towards the light.
What an incredible piece of writing, Julie. So many beautiful ideas wrapped in sentences I had to read twice, or thrice.
Dark night of the December soul, indeed. Where you've been numbing to move through a time, I've been surrendering to feeling so many feelings inside the complexity of my grief. Guilt, regret, loneliness. Love. So much love.
What a wild ride we are on....made all the richer by poets like you sharing and wearing their insides out. Blessings to you, my sister. ❤️
Oh bless you. Yes we are all at different parts of the journey aren’t we? So long as we are learning and growing as we travel :)
Absolutely. ❤️
So pleased to see you back on Substack. I’ve missed you. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. It is indeed a strange time. I’m reminded of Yeats - things fall apart, the centre cannot hold. But at least we are past the Solstice now and our hopes can grow as the days lengthen. I love the cadence of “All You Have”, puts me in mind of Christina Rossetti, and such an important realisation - we have a plenty if we open ourselves to it. Wishing you a Merry Christmas Julie.
Thank you Christian. I haven’t felt very communicative really, quite blank. But I wanted to end on a hopeful note. The reminder that it’s all up to us, it all lies within us.
Your poems are brilliant but it was your prose intro that really got me.
You're quite right to invoke that dreadful rape case in France. I don't want to belittle that poor woman's trauma but we are all suffering from trauma right now. It's as if we are living among people who have been terribly defiled - without even realising it.
It's particlarly difficult at this time of the year, when material comfort and possessions seem to trump any spiritual dimension. But already the days are beginning to lengthen ever so slowly and, before we know it, it will be warm again.
Thank you so much. Yes we must transcend any numb we feel. Break through ❤️
What a beautiful piece Julie, it resonated 100% ❤️ xx
I appreciate that. The darkest day now gives way to light ❤️
What a great philosophical and thought provoking post. Have a good Christmas.
Oh thank you. Yea I’ve been in that serious soul searching kind of mood. Wishing you a wonderful Christmas too, Anthony.
This post deserves more recognition. So raw and warm. Lovely work. Lovely reflections. Not so alone after all.
Oh thank you. I try and write from the heart. Glad it spoke to you xx
I absolutely love the way you lay down your thoughts, both in prose and poetry Julie.
I always resonate, and need to read more of your absorbing creative shares.
Your words are not only engaging, deeply reflective and uplifting, in as much as they inspire me to offload my own thoughts onto paper or screen ..
They bring to life the beautiful language of English in all its complex and glorious randomness.
Clatter and darkness have dragged me away from brilliance (light) in the form of writings such as your own.
Like you, I dipped last month.
Had a few words with myself.
Decided to re-frame.
It worked.
Am still feeling weary. Although not as profoundly.
As jumbled, negative sentiments about the coming months of my own regathered in new shape, a lightness showed up, which - in turn - has already brought some perfect synergy back into play ..
The type of happenings one could never orchestrate.
Re-framing.
That’s my word of the month.
PS You inspire me to think about launching a SubStack channel. Am unsure who would want to read my outpourings. 😅
PPS You should turn your poetry into a book. I’ll be doing that with mine as soon as the current collection has spawned to sufficient pages. I read your beautiful verse and downgrade my own to ‘unworthy.’ Ha. Imposter syndrome is real.
Imposter syndrome is most definitely real, I hear you. Keep picking yourself back up, building and sharing, however you feel you should. Someone will always need to hear your words. And sometimes we ourselves are that person. We observe, document and grow. And hopefully get better at this ‘life thing’ as we do xx
I think we are in a time of collective numbness Julie. So much of what you’ve written is, as ever, Bob on. Love your words and your work. ❤️
Thank you, lovely. Blessed to have you here. X
Happy to see your post! I've be playing catch up reading, and what great piece of written this one is to read today! Thank you Juie! ✨💜✨
Thank you. I need to catch up with yours too. Not been on here much of late. Once the solstice passes I think we physically feel the weight lifted and the light flooding into our hearts x
Yes, the winter solstice feels like a warm blanket I just want to cuddle up and hibernate into its softness. If I try to force my energy this time of year I feel drained. The lights coming back in! Joy! ✨🤍✨
This rings true for me and a lot of seniors. I used to decorate a lot for Christmas, but it gets more and more difficult, so we decided just to do a tree in the house but this year we are going to her daughter's house, so I had a lot of leaves to get up (which I am not finished with). A lot of people think retirement is great and it is if getting on a ladder isn't dangerous for you around Christmas time. I started not to type this because I am sure everyone will have a lot of "what if's" and "you could do this" ideas but you must be in a lot better shape than me.
There’s no right way to do Xmas is there?
The only requirement is to approach it with love in your heart x
My wife does put out a few things, but we opted out for a big tree.
Love a good tree 🌲
Thank you. Glad you’re in a peaceful place. I have son and family here tomorrow until Thursday. I don’t see them too often as they live away. We’d been estranged for a while over the jibby you might remember. I had planned to be on my own but I don’t think the kids liked the sound of that. Hopefully it will be lovely. Xx
Whatever works for you. There’s no right or wrong is there? Families will always be tricky I think. Glad you’re building bridges xx
Oh wow Julie, you write so powerfully about this collective numbness. I sense such truth in your words ⚡Starshine in the dark, and hope. I'll subscribe now.
Hope you have a happy Christmas Julie.
You too Janette. Since the solstice, I’ve felt more peaceful. Son’s December birthday is over, my mum is here safe, the gifts bought and I will certainly do my best to enjoy it and count my blessings.
Hope Christmas is all you want it to be xx
Welcome back Julie. So nice to hear from you again. It’s as if you wrote your first poem, “Stuck in my head” just for me, it resonates that much. Simply amazing.🩵
Hello Grace. Yes that was the first one I wrote. I feel I’m coming through it now. The onset on winter makes me freeze. Our own head can feel like such a prison can’t it? Sending love to you. X
Julie l like, All you have and Present .I know where you are, like an actress in a play going trough the motions and playing at being someone else, shutting out the pain.ln Present as here ,in class where l didn't want to be . My mind would go to dream.I am sensitive and I still go to dream.I need the light in my mind,and clarity in a mad world.l take depression in winter when the light comes back in March l am better.I am so glad you're back writing 💐👏 Julie Have a lovely Christmas to you and your🎄🌟♥️ family.Your gift is there in your writing.X
Thank you for your comment. Numbing oneself is a defence mechanism isn’t it? It’s what we do when we can no longer bear to feel yet have to ‘turn up’. Zone out.
But we must keep healing ourselves. Keep looking towards the light.