One quiet moment
And three co-writing sessions coming up next week!
It’s early Sunday morning and I’m writing this in between the unsorted piles of washing, still-to-be washed school uniforms and the mess of my kid’s crafting attempts that they started yesterday…
It’s also International Women’s Day and apparently the theme this year is Give to Gain. When I first read it, it well and truly made me bristle… I look at all the women around me already giving, already overstretching themselves in order to be of service to others.
I watch as they carry the load and keep on going.
Then I see brands, companies and influencers jumping on the IWD bandwagon, pushing out performative and tokenistic posts and camapigns that simply add to the noise and distract from the issues that really matter.
My mind turns to the women across the world who are trying their hardest to keep calm in the face of chaos and conflict and hold those around them. I look at how so many women face injustice, inequality and are still made to feel invisible in a world that pushes profit over people and wealth over health…
There is a temptation to really roar today and yet, I find myself seeking a moment of quiet, seeking a space to really deeply think about what legacy I want to leave behind in this world and how I can actively lift up and support those around me and beyond.
I have no Letter to My Daughter today, or indeed words of advice, just a burning desire to try and clear some of the debris and mess that has been created, so that her journey is a little easier, so that her load is a little lighter and so that she may walk safely knowing she was held by others along the way…
In other news, I still can’t quite believe that I have been chosen as one of the Emerging Poets in Residence for The Charles Causley Trust.
This opportunity feels like such a gift and makes me determined to make sure I can open up such opportunities and spaces to others. More on that soon.
During my residency, I’ll be popping into Launceston Library for a special one-off Drop In Session on Tuesday from 13:00 on my Small Acts of Attention and heading to the Black Cat Books on Wednesday at 11:00 and the Causley Shop in Merchant House on Friday at 11:00.
There are also THREE opportunities to co-write with me, next week.
Wednesday 11th March | 13:00 - 14:15
Friday 13th March | 9:15 - 10:30
Sunday 15th March | 19:00 - 20:15
All sessions will take place online (UK time), please use this link. Donations to the Charles Causley trust are very welcome (details on Lucy’s website).
Each session will involve a reading of Charles Causley’s poetry followed by a creative writing prompt set by me. We will then write together for an hour and come back together to share how we got on.
Also, coming up the Writers’ Block there are some lovely events including a workshop with on Permission to Play: Building creative resilience and finding joy.
As well as some fantastic sessions with Guest Writer, Noreen Masud, author of A Flat Flat, who will be facilitating a workshop on Writing Our Lives on Friday 27th March, followed by an evening reading with a Q&A hosted by me.