I’m just this week emerging from the study cave. So no time for a lengthy, considered post. Instead, another little list of nuggets from the past couple weeks. I loved some of the responses from last time, I was not expecting the Sounds like a Cult pod to be what folks responded to most! You do surprise me friends :) Perhaps we’re all fascinated by the search for community and belonging, despite some of the risks and unhealthy dynamics that often emerge.
I had a little personal epiphany the other morning. Simply that 'I want the next decade of my life to be defined by the quality of the relationships I have and the impact of my work’. Everything I already do aligns to these two things, but it’s nice to make it succinct and conscious.
I was 32 yrs old (literally 4 weeks ago..) when I found a definition love that encapsulates everything that I’ve been trying to embody in my life with mixed success. ‘Love as 'the will to extend one's self for the the purpose of nurturing one's own or another's spiritual growth’ from bell hooks’ all about love. I’m still letting that sink in and fully allow myself to feel the full implications of that. I’m humbled and a little ashamed to not have had a working definition of love in my life until now.
More things I did not know - hormones, what’s going on and when over my cycle. This pod helped me with some of the basics. There is a lot of talk of fasting, be warned. but just naming the parts of the cycle and what’s going on in each season was powerful. I’ve taken to mapping these to my calendar so I tune into how I’m feeling and what I need.
Working at the Southbank Centre I get to peek into some exceptional shows. I saw Roxane Gay in conversation with Afua Hirsch a couple of weeks ago and Elizabeth Day last night with Phoebe Waller Bridge (who knew the two of them were good pals!?). As as result I’ve subscribed to Roxane’s substack The Audacity (the one and only I pay for) as I find her writing so compelling. She also platforms other writers and is so often the perfect balance of insightful and hilarious. I’ve also pre-ordered Elizabeth’s book Friendaholic as I am focusing on my relationships and I’ve never taken the time to learn about and reflect on the joys and value of friendships.
In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado - I literally stopped my entire live to read this book. I can’t remember the last time I’ve done that but I read this book in 24H. I’ve never read anything quite like it and it has left a deep psychic imprint. Not least by learning of archival silence - the stories which are not recorded or kept. It’s a memoir narrating her experience of queer domestic abuse through a myriad of different literary devices its at once shattering and resonant.
Social Acupuncture - check out the first 20 mins of this vid (and the rest if you have time!) We Can Make taking a novel and powerful approach to tackle the housing crisis. I really hope this is the future.
Along a similar vein - our MPA class was lucky enough to participate in a live workshop with Hilary Cottam author of Radical Help. Again a visionary social innovator who first explored a new approach to the welfare state and now is thinking about the future of work. Incredible to see her work live in action.
I think some part of me is telling me that one day I’d like to take my work into a one on one setting with individuals. I’ve been drawn to watching shows about therapy, Stutz & Couples Therapy and I’ve just signed up to retrain and become a Samaritans listening volunteer again. Interested to watch this path unfold!
As always, thanks for reading and if anything struck a chord please let me know :)
Have a wonderful week chums. xox