Sammy I adore this. I am honestly so glad that you are doing this series, even if I forget to comment on it all the time (my brain has been a bit scattered lately). And yes! Having a way to get out your negative feelings and thoughts and work through complex emotions is a hugely important form of self care, and sometimes the best way to get it out of our bodies and release the pressure is to open up and share it with others, much like this. I am also glad to hear about the joy you share with your students, and as someone who no longer lives in LA I feel the sort of nostalgic pull of the familiar. This is a lot of words I'll no doubt have worked through better later, but for now I just wanted to say that I think what you are doing is fantastic, and I know I enjoy when it pops up in my email. Feel your feelings, know your value, and keep kicking ass.
PS: if you want to talk again soon I would love to hear more about how your teaching life is going :)
Thank you Kate for writing and sharing these thoughts and validating the way that I deal with my negative emotions. I get nervous about being like this, (a writer? I went to a talk at the LA Book Fair where the woman said that people shouldn't call us brave, we are just doing our jobs-- speaking about the unspeakable, talking openly about the difficult truths (our truths/ my truths/ your truths is the job of a writer - I quite liked that idea of the job of the writer. Makes me feel less insane for feeling this strong, uncontrollable urge to let vomit all the thoughts of my heart in words on a page for others to read... obviously after a bit of editing and thought, but sometimes not -- as this is a blog/ a newsletter, not a published piece of work having spent hours on.) I would love to talk soon, six weeks until summer!! Then I will be for sure in touch. I want to hear about how your course is going and Seattleee lifee and your writinggnng!!
Sammy I adore this. I am honestly so glad that you are doing this series, even if I forget to comment on it all the time (my brain has been a bit scattered lately). And yes! Having a way to get out your negative feelings and thoughts and work through complex emotions is a hugely important form of self care, and sometimes the best way to get it out of our bodies and release the pressure is to open up and share it with others, much like this. I am also glad to hear about the joy you share with your students, and as someone who no longer lives in LA I feel the sort of nostalgic pull of the familiar. This is a lot of words I'll no doubt have worked through better later, but for now I just wanted to say that I think what you are doing is fantastic, and I know I enjoy when it pops up in my email. Feel your feelings, know your value, and keep kicking ass.
PS: if you want to talk again soon I would love to hear more about how your teaching life is going :)
All my love
Kate
Thank you Kate for writing and sharing these thoughts and validating the way that I deal with my negative emotions. I get nervous about being like this, (a writer? I went to a talk at the LA Book Fair where the woman said that people shouldn't call us brave, we are just doing our jobs-- speaking about the unspeakable, talking openly about the difficult truths (our truths/ my truths/ your truths is the job of a writer - I quite liked that idea of the job of the writer. Makes me feel less insane for feeling this strong, uncontrollable urge to let vomit all the thoughts of my heart in words on a page for others to read... obviously after a bit of editing and thought, but sometimes not -- as this is a blog/ a newsletter, not a published piece of work having spent hours on.) I would love to talk soon, six weeks until summer!! Then I will be for sure in touch. I want to hear about how your course is going and Seattleee lifee and your writinggnng!!