Write-Place

Spiral    Linearity does not come naturally. It kills the imagination and nothing happens.  No bell rings, no moment of here and now, no moment saying yes. Without these, where is alive ? I prefer the pleasure of the journey through the spiral. Relax.  If you miss something on the first time around, don't worry. You might pick it up on the second - or third - or tenth ; it doesn't matter. Relax.      Timing is everything. If the bell does ring, it will resonate through all the rungs of your spiral.  If it doesn't it is the wrong spiral - or the wrong time -  or there is no bell.

 On reaching sixty five years old ...  Until around 2010 I'd imagined my 65th birthday to be more of a milestone than it's turned out to be, though the words 'pension' and 'retirement' age are so ingrained in my past that it is inevitable that they are still on my mind now that the day has come, and gone.  (25th July for anyone interested; I was too busy celebrating with my family from 23rd onwards - and managing to stretch the 'birthday period'  to at least the second week in August - to write a blog post, on the day).  Over the last few years, there have been a number of significant changes to the State Pension entitlement for women.     Between 2010 and 2018 the age  changed from 60 to 65 for women  and  is now increasing in stages, alongside men, until it reaches 68. At the moment, it is forecast that I will receive mine at age 66 next year, but I have no expectations whatsoever that this will actually happen. I feel that it's m...

It was the last night of my four night visit to Rome. I 'd walked myself to the verge of exhaustion again and was having a final cup of tea in the bar/restaurant next to my hotel. Some new brick paving was being laid on the street and the bar was struggling to keep down the dust, even after the builders had finished for the day and the air conditioner was doing it's best to pump out some cool, moist air onto the tables and customers who were sitting outside with food and drinks. Emerging from the haze of cold air combined with concrete dust, came a woman, glasses hanging lopsidedly from their cord around her neck, speaking a  combination of English and Italian, from  which we customers surmised that she had something annoying in her eye.  She lurched across to my table and asked if she could "leave this here a moment", laying down an A4 notebook, whilst squinting and protesting about the "something" in her eye as she did so. "This stupid thing - it keep...

Saw this on Facebook today and thought it also needed posting  For the Man Who  ... ... For the Woman Who ... by Brittany Latham F or the man who still leads from the front even although he’s lost inside. For the man who was fired for his fourth late because he has been awake for a straight week with a sick child. For the man who makes an "extra stop" after work every evening, to get something to make his woman smile. For the man who is mourning the loss of a pregnancy that nobody else knew about. For the single dad who doesn't know how the utilities are going to stay on this month. For the man who has gone through 2 IVF's and has tried for five years without success but still is happy for his friends whose women throw baby showers. For the man who still hasn't forgiven himself for the abortion for the abortion of his child 20 years ago. For the man who has a line of judging eyes on him and his children as he counts out coins...

Dear Friend. Thanks for the photo. Really can't say that I have seen her before - but you know my memory for names and faces and it's not for me to remember her anyway. That's your job. I understand the throwing out photos and stuff - I have done a bit of that kind of thing myself..... and more ! But have now come to the conclusion that it's not necessary. Obviously when things are raw you tend to go crazy and want rid of everything connected to that person and situation. You don't need that person's face smiling out at you from a photo on the mantelpiece when you enter the room. You don't need that kind of reminder at all. This person's features are etched into your very being, the touch of them and the thought of the touch of them is difficult enough. Keeping those thoughts to the back of your mind is what you need, at first. But then, as we are constantly told by family, friends and trained professionals, time does alter our thinking.We don't ev...

Yeah - another depressing title for a discussion, sorry, but how DO you know? I have never been one for giving up on anything - but seems like I have to this time. I am not talking about writing here, in the big scheme of things, writing is just writing - if it gets read it gets read, if it doesn't then it doesn't. Am talking about people, and life stuff ...and yes I have a new grandson 2 weeks old today...and 3 other beautiful grandchildren and a wonderful family, so I am lucky. But is this world a place to bring them into? Are there really any genuinely honest people - seems its difficult to find them. Lies destroy the soul of the liar and the dig deep into the mind of the listener. How far do you go on fighting for a cause that you believe in - till your death ? Regardless of your health and regardless what your family say ?Are we responsible enough for the well being of the next generation - or should we just push a button now and have done with it. Too many questions and ...