Beautiful Josie! You put into words my experience in a way I would struggle to. I adore your writing. I have severe CFS, and I have the same awareness of things, but not the writing skill to share it. You always make me feel so seen and heard. What a gift you have. I wonder if one day you would consider teaching writing to wannabes. I'd love to be your student if you ever do. Blessings upon your day beauty.
Gosh Josie. It takes a soul of both nobility and humility to run fingers through the dark water and to pull out the golden threads. I'm still learning. You are a great teacher. I am so grateful for you and your writing. X
Thank you Josie for putting into words so beautifully what so many of us with chronic illness and fatigue suffer with. I’m in the midst of a tough time at the moment fighting off a hidden virus that just won’t go away, so your encouragement to be grateful for all the amazing little things around me is very timely 💕 xx
Reminds me so much of what the Kabbalist say....that with everything...even the dark...we pause...and we say over and over "what a pleasure" - thank you for it all is the way through. This was so gorgeously written and received in Minnesota on a cozy morning with so much gratitude. Thank you.
I have a severe double scoliosis - operated on in my teens to stop it getting worse - that isn't immediately visible to the casual observer. Although only occasionally painful it has ached on and off for the last 55 years or so, more or less daily.
I'm in my late 60s, retired now and I have noticed that a few of my old secondary school contemporaries are spending their time and their savings on cruises and jetting around the world. I, on the other hand, am spending some of *my* savings on nerve blocks and facet joint injections to deal with the effects of ageing on my wonky back.
Whilst I could resent this - or indeed wait for the NHS to work through the NICE guidelines of painkillers and waiting lists before getting to the injections - I am also in touch with others who have my condition, some of whom are so much worse off than me in some way. For them either the injections are unsuitable or don't give any relief, the painkillers take the edge off their days or they are simply hampered in their mobility by the condition itself. So I am one of the lucky ones.
I am fortunate that life has allowed me circumstances that mean I can go for walks and weekends away - so long as there is a an appropriately supportive bed (thank you Premier Inn) but I often forget to be grateful for that.
It's easy to be grateful standing in the sunshine on a windswept Welsh hill or passing by woods on a snowy evening, but I need to remember to be grateful for the small things too.
Much love to you Barbara. I'm so glad you've found a way to hold onto some adventure. If we look for things that others have that we don't, we're ALWAYS going to find something that will burn and sting. But... oh, when we can turn towards what we have, especially with a bit of mischief and rebellion, how wonderful it can be.
Thank you. I am so grateful to you for reminding me of this simple and effective practice. I so often forget and slip into churning and analysing, trying to understand with my mind. All I need to do is be grateful for everything, to dwell in radical inclusive acceptance without sifting the good from the bad. Who knows really what's for the good or not? I'm assuming that everything is in my experience for my greater good. All I have to do is say thanks to it, whatever it is and like you say, the world is transformed.
I think one of the greatest cons we've all been brought up to believe in is that the solution to everything is More Thinking. I honestly believe that less thinking and more joyful surrender IS the answer! Thank you so much for reading and commenting x
You mentioned in your interview with Jane Ratcliffe that you are a fan of Natalie Goldberg. I just read Natalie's book - Living Color - painting, writing and the bones of seeing. As well as describing her process of becoming a painter, the book includes colour photos of many of her paintings and inspiring exercises. She writes: "My hope is to jostle your mind out of the ordinary, out of logic and maybe after a moment of shock, snap you into feelings and creating from a non-rational place where things are interconnected on a whole different level. Writing, painting and drawing are linked. Don't let anyone split them apart, leading you to believe you are capable of expression in only one form. The mind is much more whole and vast than that."
I have been thinking of this a lot recently. Particularly as a good and trusted activist friend gently offered me Thich Nhat Hanh's 'No Mud, No Lotus' whilst I was deep in the midst of my suffering. Not in a "here is the way you SHOULD be thinking, why aren't you more grateful?" way - the kind of tone my own brain takes with me. But as an acknowledgement and an invitation. Both of my own suffering and that of the world's. That it is heavy and hard but oh, what a joy the first birdsong in the morning is, if only I allow myself to hear it. May your gratitude practice be ever strong and bountiful Josie, your image of boxing glove buds is going to slip into my pocket today like a favourite stone
When our instinct is to fight or despair, I think many of these 'soft' practices like gratitude can be so easily dismissed as being ineffective in the face of deep suffering, and yet when you really dig into them they can absolutely knock your socks off with their power! Gratitude is wholeheartedly a playful invitation rather than yet another stick to beat ourselves with, I love that. Thank you Finn xx
So beautifully put in to words how I felt only a few years ago. Gratitude got me through being completely housebound just after I turned 30. My life thrown upsidedown and all my dreams and aspirations for what I thought my life would be abandoned me. Gratitude got me threw the darkest of times and no doubt will keep helping others.
I can’t adequately express how much I admire your ability to capture how you feel. Your bravery and honesty are just what I need in a world that seems as if it’s slowly going mad. Thank you Josie.
Josie… your writing cuts to the core with just the right amount of description and color. The reality that is your daily life is such a powerful testimony to your words—credibility like this can never be found amongst other bloggers and influencers whose self help reads like elevator “Muzak” sounds. I so enjoy reading what you have written because I can feel every bit of your energy and determination. I know these words are your lifeline, and in reading them, they are mine too. Thank you so much for sharing your gifts. ❤️
I love what you say about the antidote to fear and despair being gratitude rather than hope. I don’t know if I’ve ever thought about it like that before, but it makes a lot of sense and has given me something to think about more deeply. Your words very much remind me of the poem Thank You by Ross Gay, which you may already know:
Thank you Josie your words are beautiful. I love the thought of being a sorcerer, that description connects . Today on a wet soggy dark morning walk I saw that Sorcery, I was sad grieving for a friend, but just a whisper to myself, " listen the stream is playing a tune" how wonderful. Thank you world for letting me here that. Thank you Josie x
Beautiful Josie! You put into words my experience in a way I would struggle to. I adore your writing. I have severe CFS, and I have the same awareness of things, but not the writing skill to share it. You always make me feel so seen and heard. What a gift you have. I wonder if one day you would consider teaching writing to wannabes. I'd love to be your student if you ever do. Blessings upon your day beauty.
Thank you so much Emma. If I ever have the capacity, I would love to do that! I will think on it, thank you xx
Gosh Josie. It takes a soul of both nobility and humility to run fingers through the dark water and to pull out the golden threads. I'm still learning. You are a great teacher. I am so grateful for you and your writing. X
What a beautiful reply. Thank you Wendy. You give me confidence (which I'm often lacking!)
Love “run fingers through the dark water and to pull out golden threads.”
Thank you Josie for putting into words so beautifully what so many of us with chronic illness and fatigue suffer with. I’m in the midst of a tough time at the moment fighting off a hidden virus that just won’t go away, so your encouragement to be grateful for all the amazing little things around me is very timely 💕 xx
Oh Julie, sending you healing wishes! It is really hard when these bugs go on and on. Much love and thanks xx
Reminds me so much of what the Kabbalist say....that with everything...even the dark...we pause...and we say over and over "what a pleasure" - thank you for it all is the way through. This was so gorgeously written and received in Minnesota on a cozy morning with so much gratitude. Thank you.
Yes! I love Jeff Warren's phrase too, his encouragement to say to everything "welcome to the party". Thank you Sarah.
Thank you.
I have a severe double scoliosis - operated on in my teens to stop it getting worse - that isn't immediately visible to the casual observer. Although only occasionally painful it has ached on and off for the last 55 years or so, more or less daily.
I'm in my late 60s, retired now and I have noticed that a few of my old secondary school contemporaries are spending their time and their savings on cruises and jetting around the world. I, on the other hand, am spending some of *my* savings on nerve blocks and facet joint injections to deal with the effects of ageing on my wonky back.
Whilst I could resent this - or indeed wait for the NHS to work through the NICE guidelines of painkillers and waiting lists before getting to the injections - I am also in touch with others who have my condition, some of whom are so much worse off than me in some way. For them either the injections are unsuitable or don't give any relief, the painkillers take the edge off their days or they are simply hampered in their mobility by the condition itself. So I am one of the lucky ones.
I am fortunate that life has allowed me circumstances that mean I can go for walks and weekends away - so long as there is a an appropriately supportive bed (thank you Premier Inn) but I often forget to be grateful for that.
It's easy to be grateful standing in the sunshine on a windswept Welsh hill or passing by woods on a snowy evening, but I need to remember to be grateful for the small things too.
Thank you for reminding me.
Much love to you Barbara. I'm so glad you've found a way to hold onto some adventure. If we look for things that others have that we don't, we're ALWAYS going to find something that will burn and sting. But... oh, when we can turn towards what we have, especially with a bit of mischief and rebellion, how wonderful it can be.
Thank you. I am so grateful to you for reminding me of this simple and effective practice. I so often forget and slip into churning and analysing, trying to understand with my mind. All I need to do is be grateful for everything, to dwell in radical inclusive acceptance without sifting the good from the bad. Who knows really what's for the good or not? I'm assuming that everything is in my experience for my greater good. All I have to do is say thanks to it, whatever it is and like you say, the world is transformed.
I think one of the greatest cons we've all been brought up to believe in is that the solution to everything is More Thinking. I honestly believe that less thinking and more joyful surrender IS the answer! Thank you so much for reading and commenting x
You mentioned in your interview with Jane Ratcliffe that you are a fan of Natalie Goldberg. I just read Natalie's book - Living Color - painting, writing and the bones of seeing. As well as describing her process of becoming a painter, the book includes colour photos of many of her paintings and inspiring exercises. She writes: "My hope is to jostle your mind out of the ordinary, out of logic and maybe after a moment of shock, snap you into feelings and creating from a non-rational place where things are interconnected on a whole different level. Writing, painting and drawing are linked. Don't let anyone split them apart, leading you to believe you are capable of expression in only one form. The mind is much more whole and vast than that."
I have been thinking of this a lot recently. Particularly as a good and trusted activist friend gently offered me Thich Nhat Hanh's 'No Mud, No Lotus' whilst I was deep in the midst of my suffering. Not in a "here is the way you SHOULD be thinking, why aren't you more grateful?" way - the kind of tone my own brain takes with me. But as an acknowledgement and an invitation. Both of my own suffering and that of the world's. That it is heavy and hard but oh, what a joy the first birdsong in the morning is, if only I allow myself to hear it. May your gratitude practice be ever strong and bountiful Josie, your image of boxing glove buds is going to slip into my pocket today like a favourite stone
When our instinct is to fight or despair, I think many of these 'soft' practices like gratitude can be so easily dismissed as being ineffective in the face of deep suffering, and yet when you really dig into them they can absolutely knock your socks off with their power! Gratitude is wholeheartedly a playful invitation rather than yet another stick to beat ourselves with, I love that. Thank you Finn xx
So beautifully put in to words how I felt only a few years ago. Gratitude got me through being completely housebound just after I turned 30. My life thrown upsidedown and all my dreams and aspirations for what I thought my life would be abandoned me. Gratitude got me threw the darkest of times and no doubt will keep helping others.
Deeply hard won wisdom, HDK. Thank you x
I can’t adequately express how much I admire your ability to capture how you feel. Your bravery and honesty are just what I need in a world that seems as if it’s slowly going mad. Thank you Josie.
Thank you Carol, that is so kind xx
Josie… your writing cuts to the core with just the right amount of description and color. The reality that is your daily life is such a powerful testimony to your words—credibility like this can never be found amongst other bloggers and influencers whose self help reads like elevator “Muzak” sounds. I so enjoy reading what you have written because I can feel every bit of your energy and determination. I know these words are your lifeline, and in reading them, they are mine too. Thank you so much for sharing your gifts. ❤️
Oh gosh this comment is like a JEWEL. Thank you, ES. What beautiful, beautiful words.
oh, how beautiful. Thank you! Thank you for the exquisite writing. Thank you for the reminder to feel gratitude.
(In my sleep I dreamed this poem)
Someone I loved once gave me
a box full of darkness.
It took me years to understand
that this, too, was a gift.
–Mary Oliver
Mary definitely knew gratitude, didn't she? ❤️
Beautiful ma’am. I’m so full of joy that you turned around your feelings. God bless you Josie. I value your beautiful writing. Xxx
(not meant literally - I don’t know if there is a god) xx
There totally is (although I don't call it god) and it's my best pal and ally! Thank you, dear Amro. All love to you, always xx
What God does best is love you.
Thank you for your words today, and all days.
I love what you say about the antidote to fear and despair being gratitude rather than hope. I don’t know if I’ve ever thought about it like that before, but it makes a lot of sense and has given me something to think about more deeply. Your words very much remind me of the poem Thank You by Ross Gay, which you may already know:
If you find yourself half naked
and barefoot in the frosty grass, hearing,
again, the earth’s great, sonorous moan that says
you are the air of the now and gone, that says
all you love will turn to dust,
and will meet you there, do not
raise your fist. Do not raise
your small voice against it. And do not
take cover. Instead, curl your toes
into the grass, watch the cloud
ascending from your lips. Walk
through the garden’s dormant splendor.
Say only, thank you.
Thank you.
Gorgeous, thank you!
Thank you Josie your words are beautiful. I love the thought of being a sorcerer, that description connects . Today on a wet soggy dark morning walk I saw that Sorcery, I was sad grieving for a friend, but just a whisper to myself, " listen the stream is playing a tune" how wonderful. Thank you world for letting me here that. Thank you Josie x
Sending you strength and magic to keep on transforming the world xx