Metamorphosis and moving on

On retiring from teaching late 2021, I found myself in a liminal state of uncertainty. From the mad, hectic and oh so busy life of teaching, I now found that empty days were turning into empty weeks which all seemed to lead nowhere. My husband was still working. My sons were quite rightly busy and getting on with their own lives - always available and checking in on me but I knew that I had to forge ahead and shake myself out of this state of disquiet and inertia.

In my search to find meaning and purpose in this 'new' life, I tried so many new ventures which all, eventually fell by the wayside. That is, until I picked up the paintbrushes which my husband had bought me as a tactic to ease the stressful life of Ofsted rounds and leadership meetings on results, results, results!

The paintbrushes replaced the pen and thus the journey began. There were times before I started painting that I had serious worries about my mental health - that I had slipped into an invisible world which no doubt many of us visit when we venture out from one journey to the next. Or as I like to think meta-morph from the caged chrysalis and back to the freedom of the butterfly.

So here I am today re-visiting this blog which I started way back when Guard a Silver Sixpence was first published in 2012. Back then it was my publishers Macmillan that suggested it as a promotional strategy to attract sales but now, I re-visit to share my next journey - not to promote but to enjoy! 

Working the Light (2022).

Summer blog updates.

 Where has the time gone? As I drank my morning coffee on this rather gloomy day, I decided to check out my blog - it has been some time! I was quite surprised that in has actually been 7 months since I put pen to blog. At that time we were just entering the second lockdown and I think we were all in a miserable state of shock. Looking back I published 'Isolation Blues' on the 17th January. I remember feeling the aching longing to see my family and friends again outside of all restrictions.

As I look out of my isolation window

on our locked down world

you seem to fly in to make me smile.

Your red breast becomes my beacon of light -

to give me hope

to share the love

to help me remember

that I am loved.

You duck and dive.

You bop and hop.

Center stage, you take the floor.

As you come to land, you catch my eye.

You seem to say

"Not long now - my dear."

Just take care.

Stay safe.

Sit tight.

Stay in touch

with those you love.

One last wink and you fly away.

Back tomorrow, I hear you say.

Don't give up hope.

Fight the fight.

We are so close.

The end is in sight.

F.N.

So I have now spent the morning updating my 'Insights to make you smile' 'Elsie's Story', changing the blog theme and introducing my 'Daily Gardening Diary.' After all, I always intended my blog to be the place that I share my world - so here you go. Mrs Writer's Writing Bureau is up and running again after a summer sort out and spring clean.

Enjoy!

 Follow your heart

However crazy or difficult a decision you feel you have made, may seem to you - follow your heart. Throughout my life, I have sometimes taken the safe route and then regretted it. Robert Frost's poem 'The Road Not Taken' springs to mind. After I had completed my degree, I had two roads open to me - I still wonder whether I should have taken the road less travelled. BUT - there is still time to explore new and varied paths. For all of of us.

Believe in the power of self.

 

GUARD A SILVER SIXPENCE

Believe in the power of self.

Once I started to piece the jigsaw of my life together, I knew that I had to get it down on paper. Pure determination drove me to find the help and support I needed to navigate through the world of publishing and agents that I was so unfamiliar with. Now with over a quarter of a million sales, I have finally seen my dream to tell my ancestors' story, become a reality.

I guess my message will always be around the power of hard work and resilience in driving to fulfill your dreams but I now also realise that belief in self is also so powerful.

Guard a Silver Sixpence became a book and now I will strive just as hard take it to the next level.. 

Wish me well . . 

Enjoy a copy of my book Guard a Silver Sixpence

 Thoughts for the day.

14th January 2021

It's too easy to allow our imagination to take us down dark roads when we're isolating from the outside world.

I have always had a tendency to overthink; sometimes this can be a positive thing, sometimes not. So my thought today is 'Don't borrow trouble.' On recently re-reading the Anne of Green Gables box set, it was Anne's adopted mother - Marilla Cuthbert who gave this advice to Anne after she had allowed her imagination to take her down a very dark road.

Now when I start  to overthink  an old memory and take it to a place it doesn't needed to be - I stop myself by recalling Marilla's words