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Julie Farrell's avatar

Feeling safe. So crucial, so nescessary. I'm in the midst of healing intergenerational trauma myself, and I simply could not do it without my room to write in, my writer friends and my husband's unwavering support. So much gratitude required to keep wading when the wee voices tell you to give up xx

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Kerri ní Dochartaigh's avatar

So much this. You are doing such deep work, mind your precious self x

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Julie Farrell's avatar

Thank you. And for showing us the way🕯️x

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Annette Vaucanson Kelly's avatar

Oh Kerri, to read this after finishing Cacophony of Bone only yesterday and being so achingly and deliciously moved by it, makes your line about the need to feel at home so deeply touching. I am so grateful for your words and for your beautiful writing life 💛

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Kerri ní Dochartaigh's avatar

This made me cry happy tears 🤍🤍🤍

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Annette Vaucanson Kelly's avatar

🥰💛🥰💛

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Lynn Fraser's avatar

Beautiful words, Kerri, my eyes were glistening by the end.

The upside and the downside of masterclasses and retreats is the towering pile of books that I’ve ended up with 😂

I see you are doing a tutored retreat at Moniack Mhor. Have you been before? It’s such a special place 🙂

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Kerri ní Dochartaigh's avatar

I’ve not but I can’t wait to! 💓

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Lynn Fraser's avatar

You’ll love it!

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Lindsay Johnstone's avatar

You are going to love it there. It's magical. It'll get under your skin and give you so much, Kerri x

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Emma Scattergood's avatar

Thank you for this Kerri. I know it will encourage, reassure and inspire so so many. And that last section is so beautiful, it moved me to (happy) tears.

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Kerri ní Dochartaigh's avatar

Emma 💙💙

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Alice Kinsella's avatar

Kerri ❤️ this transparency is so valuable. It's so easy to imagine everyone else has it figured out. You're the brightest person 💕

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Shannon Kelly Donahue's avatar

Such wonderful words, Kerrí! Thank you! This is exactly what I needed to read this morning!

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Kerri ní Dochartaigh's avatar

Thanks for this , I’m so glad xxx

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Colette's avatar

Thank you so much for sharing this 🌼

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Kerri ní Dochartaigh's avatar

🧡

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Jean Wilson's avatar

Thankyou for this. Do you make notes from your reading? I read and listen avidly but wonder if this might help.

I have a wee squshed writer's corner now, and it does help.

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Kerri ní Dochartaigh's avatar

I do! I have a post coming soon on how I read and note take 🤍🤍

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Katherine Theodore's avatar

Oh I need to really sit with this and all the ways I let my need to feel safe stop me from creating a writing life. Thank you for this.

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Kerri ní Dochartaigh's avatar

Yes safety can work either way can’t it? Much love to you

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Camille van Hoeagareden's avatar

Beautiful and wise words - thank you for this gorgeous and inspirational post! I love the concept of making a ritual of your writing by honouring the beauty of everyday, and the dance of us, our words and the achingly beautiful earth.

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Orla Beaton's avatar

Gorgeous words Kerri 🌹 Thank you xx

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Clare Stevens's avatar

This is wonderful, Kerri ... thank you so much for sharing your experiences so honestly and beautifully, and for the lovely, inspiring photos. Thank you too for the virtual introduction to Laura. I look forward to discovering more of her writing. I read up to the end of 'January' in Cacophony of Bones this morning, and that is wonderful too. I'm wondering if it might be appropriate to read one section/chapter a month, so that I can live a year with you, even though it would be a very different year.

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BooksByTheSea's avatar

This made me really emotional Kerri - didn't know I needed these words until I read them now. Thank you.

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Ellen Chapman's avatar

Oof, glistening eyes by the end here too. Beautiful words. I struggle to find (make?) the time and space to write around my parenting and paid work responsibilities. Definitely guilty of using this as an excuse to keep myself safe and small, but increasingly feeling the need to face the challenge and start experimenting with ways of creating pockets of time and space to write in.

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