“we keep writing for the life moving forward within all of us.” Thank you Ruth. Your words were powerful and thank you for sharing your dreams. There is fire within all of us and around us. I so look forward to what you light up with this new book. And YES - get off the toxic social media - it is not worth it. I got off Facebook and Instagram 2 years ago and have not looked back. I have found connection and sturdiness in Substack. Blessings to you on stoking the deep fire within as you create beauty in the days and months ahead. 🔥
Thank you for your words of encouragement, Jane. I think it's inevitable that I will need to dip in and out for now, especially as Weathering comes out in Paperback in March and will be expected to do my bit with that where I can, but I have a sense things could be different afterwards. Things change quickly. My place here on Substack isn't insubstantial. If I work hard, maybe I can be released from platforms I don't enjoy:)
I love how you stand in the wind and repeat your mantra-I wish that was something more of us did. And whenever I read your writing I come away thinking that you feel it all (you are one of my favourite writers because of this) x
I'm a fire sign and wonder how many of us have supressed that fire and continue to do so. Yes to getting away from social media! I'd love to though I think my printmaking is too bound up in it to get away entirely, plus I worry that I will miss the connections (living on my own, most of my printmaking life is solitary etc).....though I'd rather be involved in real life than social media life.x
I definitely feel it all, and need to manage that for my own well being, though wouldn't want to fundamentally change it :)
Ooooh a fire sign! Yes, I am not surprised really knowing your work as I do! I am fascinated by fire at the moment, terrified in equal measure. It's an interesting element to explore.
I think while it makes sense for you to keep using it then I'm not surprised you're still there. As a visual artist it makes SO much sense. Less so for a writer and therapist really. It makes more sense to put my time in here. I think everything goes in cycles through - one day you might just think I don't need this as much anymore, or it's no longer a priority etc. I imagine we're all on that trajectory somehow. Especially these days xx
As always, I love your writing! It gives me many things to hold in my heart and mind.
Leaving social media is a BIG DEAL, especially when you have a business that can benefit from the expanded audience. I left Instagram about six months ago and Facebook on Christmas Day. I'm not sure I would have done this if I still had my photography business. I can say that now I have more focus and maybe more peace. I miss my connections to my plant people. I come from a world where I was deeply involved with people in the horticulture world, especially regarding native plants, but I'll survive.
I'll continue to support your work and help to spread the news about your writing. You can also put me down on your list to purchase your next book 😉
Ruth, I think you have a good plan. I found that I couldn't dip in and out but, instead, would get sucked back in. I'm still looking at options to promote and celebrate my love for native plants and nature, as well as photography, but only in ways that feel right, if there is such a thing.
Thank you Paul :) I so appreciate your support and readership. I think this is the thing: it is possible to bring people over onto different platforms and if not, then maybe it's a sign of something. I miss some people on Instagram too but I also feel confident that those I connected with most are here somewhere, reading my Substack etc. I trust that the right outlet brings along the right people. That said, I don't think I will leave entirely for a while yet. I won't be deleting my Instagram because I have built a big audience there, but I think I can dip in and out when I need to until such a time that it just doesn't make sense. My business relied on Instagram a lot more in the past, but having books distributes that audience now and therapy takes care of itself :) I think I have just out grown it, which is fine. I think for me there is something very important about seeking the information or people I miss, not being a passive receiver for ever more...
Thank you once again, Ruth, for putting words to the connections lapping like flames in the back of my mind this week.
Yes, fire! How symbolic, how its effects resonate and reverberate in our hearts. An endless stream of cultural memories, titles, quotes, words of songs ...scrolls along my poor ADHD mind reading your words.
Just a couple:
* have you read 'Orbital', I can't remember? A tiny love-song to the earth, huge mathematical and scientific concepts, held gently in a story about six disparate people and the kindnesses with frame their lives and their corporate life in the space-station.
Thank you Janey. I'm so glad you liked this one. Yes, Orbital was one of my favourites of the year but I don't expect anyone else to remember that 🤭 And yes Kindness! I love that poem but had forgotten it. I appreciate you for communing with me in these. I have the same stream of thoughts, memories, references also...it's a joy and a burden to want to recall everything and not be able to! Xx
“we keep writing for the life moving forward within all of us.” Thank you Ruth. Your words were powerful and thank you for sharing your dreams. There is fire within all of us and around us. I so look forward to what you light up with this new book. And YES - get off the toxic social media - it is not worth it. I got off Facebook and Instagram 2 years ago and have not looked back. I have found connection and sturdiness in Substack. Blessings to you on stoking the deep fire within as you create beauty in the days and months ahead. 🔥
Thank you for your words of encouragement, Jane. I think it's inevitable that I will need to dip in and out for now, especially as Weathering comes out in Paperback in March and will be expected to do my bit with that where I can, but I have a sense things could be different afterwards. Things change quickly. My place here on Substack isn't insubstantial. If I work hard, maybe I can be released from platforms I don't enjoy:)
I love how you stand in the wind and repeat your mantra-I wish that was something more of us did. And whenever I read your writing I come away thinking that you feel it all (you are one of my favourite writers because of this) x
I'm a fire sign and wonder how many of us have supressed that fire and continue to do so. Yes to getting away from social media! I'd love to though I think my printmaking is too bound up in it to get away entirely, plus I worry that I will miss the connections (living on my own, most of my printmaking life is solitary etc).....though I'd rather be involved in real life than social media life.x
I definitely feel it all, and need to manage that for my own well being, though wouldn't want to fundamentally change it :)
Ooooh a fire sign! Yes, I am not surprised really knowing your work as I do! I am fascinated by fire at the moment, terrified in equal measure. It's an interesting element to explore.
I think while it makes sense for you to keep using it then I'm not surprised you're still there. As a visual artist it makes SO much sense. Less so for a writer and therapist really. It makes more sense to put my time in here. I think everything goes in cycles through - one day you might just think I don't need this as much anymore, or it's no longer a priority etc. I imagine we're all on that trajectory somehow. Especially these days xx
As always, I love your writing! It gives me many things to hold in my heart and mind.
Leaving social media is a BIG DEAL, especially when you have a business that can benefit from the expanded audience. I left Instagram about six months ago and Facebook on Christmas Day. I'm not sure I would have done this if I still had my photography business. I can say that now I have more focus and maybe more peace. I miss my connections to my plant people. I come from a world where I was deeply involved with people in the horticulture world, especially regarding native plants, but I'll survive.
I'll continue to support your work and help to spread the news about your writing. You can also put me down on your list to purchase your next book 😉
Ruth, I think you have a good plan. I found that I couldn't dip in and out but, instead, would get sucked back in. I'm still looking at options to promote and celebrate my love for native plants and nature, as well as photography, but only in ways that feel right, if there is such a thing.
i think there is very much something that is 'right enough for the time being' - perhaps that's as close as we can ever get....
Thank you Paul :) I so appreciate your support and readership. I think this is the thing: it is possible to bring people over onto different platforms and if not, then maybe it's a sign of something. I miss some people on Instagram too but I also feel confident that those I connected with most are here somewhere, reading my Substack etc. I trust that the right outlet brings along the right people. That said, I don't think I will leave entirely for a while yet. I won't be deleting my Instagram because I have built a big audience there, but I think I can dip in and out when I need to until such a time that it just doesn't make sense. My business relied on Instagram a lot more in the past, but having books distributes that audience now and therapy takes care of itself :) I think I have just out grown it, which is fine. I think for me there is something very important about seeking the information or people I miss, not being a passive receiver for ever more...
Thank you once again, Ruth, for putting words to the connections lapping like flames in the back of my mind this week.
Yes, fire! How symbolic, how its effects resonate and reverberate in our hearts. An endless stream of cultural memories, titles, quotes, words of songs ...scrolls along my poor ADHD mind reading your words.
Just a couple:
* have you read 'Orbital', I can't remember? A tiny love-song to the earth, huge mathematical and scientific concepts, held gently in a story about six disparate people and the kindnesses with frame their lives and their corporate life in the space-station.
* 'Kindness' a poem by Naomi Shihab Nye
Reading 'Grounded' again today 😊
X
Thank you Janey. I'm so glad you liked this one. Yes, Orbital was one of my favourites of the year but I don't expect anyone else to remember that 🤭 And yes Kindness! I love that poem but had forgotten it. I appreciate you for communing with me in these. I have the same stream of thoughts, memories, references also...it's a joy and a burden to want to recall everything and not be able to! Xx
Just beautiful Ruth, thank you xx
Thank you Jane :) I am so enjoying your posts too at the moment. It's good to have you back here !x
Loved this and really resonated.
Thank you Jan :)