Hello My Lovelies
There’s some very generous souls currently recommending my page.
In particular, the very talented Miriam Cruz; who is gently going deep and figuring stuff out along the way with her Getting Better community.
The irreplaceable Sarah Shotts and the creative flame they keep alive at Kindle Curiosity ( Sarah keeps threatening to delete Substack but I don’t believe them for a second 😅).
Whichever way you’ve found yourself here…
Welcome & Thank you! 💕
What to Expect
It’s so very lovely that you’ve dropped by to pay me a visit. Stay for a single post or get comfortable and…as my entirely non religious father used to say, “God willing”…we’ll try to get to know each other over many moons.
If you are here by way of recommendation, and you’re not quite sure what to expect…what can I say; I’m more of an observer than a writer. I find writing exquisitely taxing and enjoyable in equal measures.
I write to make sense of what I’m seeing in the world.
I write from the heart.
I write to connect.
I believe words carry healing in them.
I think there are stories that shelter us…until the day they don’t, and then we get to go looking for bigger stories.
I’m not here to build a writing career or a community (🎩hats off to those who do), but it’s a welcome bonus.
I’m here to write about the hardest parts of life in a way that feels soft.
I won’t be writing about political or media talking points, but I will be talking about feelings.
As an INFP personality type ‘feelings’ are my native language with the world.
As a man, I’ve spent a lifetime ignoring my feelings. Maybe you have too?
I think as a kid a got misdirected and spent too much time learning the world’s preferred language - the language of rationalisation and logic.
Maybe we don’t need to throw rationality in the bin.
Maybe it’s simply a case of getting the head & heart to speak to each other.
***Let me know in the comments what your personality type is (if you don’t know yours I can send you a link to a free questionnaire).
Where to Begin
Maybe dip your toes in some of my earlier writing. As one of my favourite podcaster’s (Blindboy Boat Club) likes to say, get to know *the lore*of Shit & Love.
Choose at random or here’s a few suggestions from the archives…
Here’s one if you tend to be overly hard on yourself, or suffer from perfectionism: a little shitter every day
Here’s one if you need a little self care for writers and creatives
Here’s one if you feel like you and your deep feelings don’t quite fit in the world; how I relate to my cool older brother
That’s a lot about me, but I wonder what you may like to get from this space?
As a child I remember my mother walking around our village doing her shopping. The butchers, the greengrocers and the village square. She was surrounded by people who knew her and her family. As she knew theirs.
Every interaction reaffirmed a sense that she was at home in the universe.
That’s what I’m trying to do here. Just be a point of contact, hopefully of many, that reaffirms that you’re right at home.
Of course consciousness has expended exponentially since my mother’s post war generation.
The terrain we cover takes us beyond the beyond. Rooted in place we may no longer be but everything will be well.
in my native Geordie,
Gan Canny lads & lasses 🙏
Balancing these traits🙂.. aur trying ..feel the feeling is more tough but it's very much needed.
What a lovely welcome letter 👍