What would happen if one woman told the truth about her life? The world would split open. ~ Muriel Rukeyser. What happens when a Doctor does house calls? There truly is no place like home.
That is a very hard loss. I have always found that writing is therapeutic, and it helps to find the treasure, strength and renew something that’s inside of us that I’m sure you’re familiar with.
I’m very happy to hear your story whenever you wanna write it.
I’m sorry for your loss and thank you for sharing.
The hard thing I have not written about is losing my first child, after she spent 9 days in NICU. Writing about it means I will have to dig deeper into the memories and my emotions which is difficult but perhaps I'll do it someday.
Reading your post was heartbreaking...I could imagine the pain you must have been through but I'm glad you have come out stronger after all this and became a guiding light for others...Kudos to you for writing this!
I had a NICU baby and a 2-year-old at home and your description of driving from place to place with no one knowing your story was so reminiscent of how I felt during those long months. It seemed such an impossibility that the world continued to turn. XO
Thank you Katie, I have a question. How do you get a different image other than my logo to show up on the substack display of this post. IE I thought the image of the ocean would be there?
So poignant, Prajna. As a mum who had severe pre-eclampsia, was unconscious for 2 days, given Last Rights and woke to a little preemie born to soon who had to stay in hospital when I went home, I really felt this. Lucky little ones to call you mama. And now look at you. At the apex of your wisdom sharing. I have new respect for the moniker, "crone." You give it dignity and beauty and wear it so well.
I sensed intuitively that at my core, I'm a writer. And a communicator. I want to interact with my readers as you are doing here. It just feels like home. I have many stories to tell that I have never been public about.
One little interesting bit I'll share with you; we were living in Sydney at the time my first little one was born and when I became very ill around week 34, we flew across Sydney Harbor to a wonderful (if somewhat derelict) women's hospital - it was a teaching hospital and I received excellent care. When I arrived home to our top floor apartment, atop a hill that had the only high rise on Manly Beach, relieved to be alive, I gazed out over the balcony to a lovely grassy area with trees and rocks and the Pacific Ocean in the distance. I was shocked to see that every single thing I laid my eyes on was shining, twinkling with the reflected light of the Divine Source. It was like looking at diamonds sparkling in the sun. I thought I was hallucinating. I closed my eyes and looked again...same beautiful sight. It eventually faded but I tucked that away in my mind, the first of many wondrous things I've experienced in moments of grace.
That is such a gorgeous, beautiful story. Thank you Marla. Yes, you are absolutely a writer with many many many stories to tell. I hope you do and I want to support you. I read that one article of yours and it was exceptional.
This is a wonderful place to call home. Kind, exciting, interesting and quite funny. It is the women authors around or beyond midlife that seem to catch my attention the most, and make me laugh hysterically. 🤣😂😉
Prajna, this piece if heartbreaking & beautiful both. The way you tell your story is a work of art.
This Muriel Rukeyser quote: ‘What would happen if one woman told the truth about her life? The world would split open” is one of my favorite quotes.
I use it often in my Poems.
And this one, yours: “Your story might be a survival guide for someone to crawl toward life.” Holy wow!!! So inspiring.
I have many things I’ve yet to write about. Many truths to tell; traumas tiny & not so tiny; stories that mark my life like guideposts; others I’m still actively living.
I’m excited to explore & learn craft so that I can take more risks & “Write it. Share it.”🥰
Colleen, Thank you so much for reading and for this beautiful recognition. It means a ton to me—I’m smiling :). @Abigail Thomas said the same about Muriel Rukeyser.
Dearest Salty Crone: How does one respond to such a poignant story, born from a suffering now cloistered in the tender, wise places of a deep heart? I know and lived an old crawling story from a long time ago, a time when I crawled out of the self-hatred of drug addiction without any guard rails. There was no Betty Ford, no therapist, no 12-Step kind of support, just a whisper barely audible that I didn’t have to die like this; that I could make a life; and that I did through crawling out and over, eventually learning to stand in the light of truth that my lost essence was love – mine to now discover. All of that more than a half century ago. I’ve written about it, cried about it, wondered how things could have been different had I not made some of the choices I made. All that became a scar that makes me part of the tribe of those who know the scars of loss and chaos. But still, it’s nothing like the story you tell, because you crawled out and gave yourself to not only your potential and possibility, but you gave yourself to your children’s potential and possibility. We are connected by joy, but we are also connected by our pain. Out of such connection, I believe our love and understanding for one another grows. Thank you for such a thought provoking piece of writing. Respect.
"Just a whisper, barely audible. I told you you didn’t have to die like this" — that is so powerful. What’s more powerful is that you heard it and it sounds like you’ve come an incredibly long way.
I can always tell by a person’s writing that they’ve been to the deep underground and resurrected some thing essential about who they truly are.
Thank you so very much for your recognition and support to my writing. It’s healing. Im so glad you are here.
Thank you Ms Jamie
I appreciate you!
Yes do it!
❤️
Curious what is one hard thing?
Hi Laurie,
I thought I responded, but I cannot find it. What a great wordGod smacked
That was a talk to text typo but I like it.
Thank you for reading. I love reading your stories as well.
Keep in touch
Thank you
Hello Katrina
Thank you for the recognition.
Wow. Yes, I see you and hope you write this hard story,
I would love to read it and hear all that comes from it.
Where are you in your recovery?
How are your children?
💙🌹💙
Wow. sonaaksi,
That is a very hard loss. I have always found that writing is therapeutic, and it helps to find the treasure, strength and renew something that’s inside of us that I’m sure you’re familiar with.
I’m very happy to hear your story whenever you wanna write it.
I’m sorry for your loss and thank you for sharing.
🌹🌹🌹
Thank you!
what great words.
Thank you Mr Ma for your dedicated reading. So appreciated.
The hard thing I have not written about is losing my first child, after she spent 9 days in NICU. Writing about it means I will have to dig deeper into the memories and my emotions which is difficult but perhaps I'll do it someday.
Reading your post was heartbreaking...I could imagine the pain you must have been through but I'm glad you have come out stronger after all this and became a guiding light for others...Kudos to you for writing this!
@sonaakshi i’m not sure if I replied to your comment which I appreciate very much. In case I didn’t thank you and I hope that you share your story.
Wow, just wow I can’t wait to read
There’s so much healing that comes through the writing
Thank you so much
I'm hoping I'll find the courage to write about it someday. It's true that writing can actually help with healing. Thanks for sharing your story!
When the time is right, you will, I am eager to read. 🦋
Oof, crawling out of the dark. So powerful and true. Thank you.
I am sitting at my desk gobsmacked by your story, tears in my eyes with a smile of appreciation for all you have been through and all you have become.
I had a NICU baby and a 2-year-old at home and your description of driving from place to place with no one knowing your story was so reminiscent of how I felt during those long months. It seemed such an impossibility that the world continued to turn. XO
I’m so glad I found you here; I’m loving your writing and looking forward to learning more of your story. I’m working up to writing about hard things…
Hello Ms. Jamie
I can’t tell if I responded already because I’m on a cell phone and it’s so hard for me to navigate
I do hope that you get up the courage and just know that I will be one person eager to read your story
Thank you so much for reading part of mine .
🌹🌹🌹
Your story seems impossible yet you are living it and that level of resilience is miraculous. Your writing is powerful Prajna. Thank you for sharing
Thank you Katie, I have a question. How do you get a different image other than my logo to show up on the substack display of this post. IE I thought the image of the ocean would be there?
Thanks Honey
So poignant, Prajna. As a mum who had severe pre-eclampsia, was unconscious for 2 days, given Last Rights and woke to a little preemie born to soon who had to stay in hospital when I went home, I really felt this. Lucky little ones to call you mama. And now look at you. At the apex of your wisdom sharing. I have new respect for the moniker, "crone." You give it dignity and beauty and wear it so well.
Oh Dear Marla, Thank you so much.
I want to hear more of your story — ouch!!! and thank you.
Unconscious 2 days - wow.
I hope Substack is a place for you to share your powerful healing stories and wisdom.
I sensed intuitively that at my core, I'm a writer. And a communicator. I want to interact with my readers as you are doing here. It just feels like home. I have many stories to tell that I have never been public about.
One little interesting bit I'll share with you; we were living in Sydney at the time my first little one was born and when I became very ill around week 34, we flew across Sydney Harbor to a wonderful (if somewhat derelict) women's hospital - it was a teaching hospital and I received excellent care. When I arrived home to our top floor apartment, atop a hill that had the only high rise on Manly Beach, relieved to be alive, I gazed out over the balcony to a lovely grassy area with trees and rocks and the Pacific Ocean in the distance. I was shocked to see that every single thing I laid my eyes on was shining, twinkling with the reflected light of the Divine Source. It was like looking at diamonds sparkling in the sun. I thought I was hallucinating. I closed my eyes and looked again...same beautiful sight. It eventually faded but I tucked that away in my mind, the first of many wondrous things I've experienced in moments of grace.
That is such a gorgeous, beautiful story. Thank you Marla. Yes, you are absolutely a writer with many many many stories to tell. I hope you do and I want to support you. I read that one article of yours and it was exceptional.
This is a wonderful place to call home. Kind, exciting, interesting and quite funny. It is the women authors around or beyond midlife that seem to catch my attention the most, and make me laugh hysterically. 🤣😂😉
wow. this is an incredible story.
Thank you for reading Elizabeth. I appreciate you!
Prajna, this piece if heartbreaking & beautiful both. The way you tell your story is a work of art.
This Muriel Rukeyser quote: ‘What would happen if one woman told the truth about her life? The world would split open” is one of my favorite quotes.
I use it often in my Poems.
And this one, yours: “Your story might be a survival guide for someone to crawl toward life.” Holy wow!!! So inspiring.
I have many things I’ve yet to write about. Many truths to tell; traumas tiny & not so tiny; stories that mark my life like guideposts; others I’m still actively living.
I’m excited to explore & learn craft so that I can take more risks & “Write it. Share it.”🥰
Colleen, Thank you so much for reading and for this beautiful recognition. It means a ton to me—I’m smiling :). @Abigail Thomas said the same about Muriel Rukeyser.
She’s a favorite for so many truth tellers.
Dearest Salty Crone: How does one respond to such a poignant story, born from a suffering now cloistered in the tender, wise places of a deep heart? I know and lived an old crawling story from a long time ago, a time when I crawled out of the self-hatred of drug addiction without any guard rails. There was no Betty Ford, no therapist, no 12-Step kind of support, just a whisper barely audible that I didn’t have to die like this; that I could make a life; and that I did through crawling out and over, eventually learning to stand in the light of truth that my lost essence was love – mine to now discover. All of that more than a half century ago. I’ve written about it, cried about it, wondered how things could have been different had I not made some of the choices I made. All that became a scar that makes me part of the tribe of those who know the scars of loss and chaos. But still, it’s nothing like the story you tell, because you crawled out and gave yourself to not only your potential and possibility, but you gave yourself to your children’s potential and possibility. We are connected by joy, but we are also connected by our pain. Out of such connection, I believe our love and understanding for one another grows. Thank you for such a thought provoking piece of writing. Respect.
Hello Stephanie,
"Just a whisper, barely audible. I told you you didn’t have to die like this" — that is so powerful. What’s more powerful is that you heard it and it sounds like you’ve come an incredibly long way.
I can always tell by a person’s writing that they’ve been to the deep underground and resurrected some thing essential about who they truly are.
Thank you so very much for your recognition and support to my writing. It’s healing. Im so glad you are here.
You are loved
💚💜💙