Photographs came up on my timeline today from one year ago. They are from our last trip out before we went into the first lockdown. Little did we know that day as we made our way to HMS Caroline what the next year was going to bring. It was a dreich day and there were very few people on board as we explored. As we walked round each deck we were careful not to touch handrails and doors and were already carrying small bottles of hand sanitiser.
During this strange year there have been some constants that have kept us anchored and grounded. For me, keeping connected (virtually) with friends and family has been so important. In the old days I always looked forward to our monthly writing workshops with Coney Island writers and being able to keep meeting (albeit virtually) throughout the last twelve months has been one of these important constants. Our Saturday morning meeting has been something to look forward to and yesterday was no different. It was lovely to see everyone across the screen and hear what everyone has been doing (or in most of our cases not doing) in the writing world. It's difficult to keep the creative juices flowing all the time but when they don't flow it's important not to beat ourselves up about it. Recently I've struggled to write, and to be creative. And when that happens I've consoled myself knowing it's temporary. This strange period will end, eventually. And instead of writing I've lost myself in someone else's writing.
Last week when World Book Day was celebrated, alongside spending some time reading from my current pile, and taking part in a couple of workshops organised by Women Aloud Northern Ireland, I treated myself to this gorgeous anthology. And I'm loving dipping in to it every day. In a busy world when some days there isn't time to read a chapter from a book, there is ALWAYS time for a poem. And already I know this is going to become a favourite, and a new constant in a chaotic world.
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