I really needed this today — not only for the outer world being on fire, but for the heartbreak in my own home. It may seem like nothing compared to everything else (interesting how that phrase spilled out of me automatically even though I just read your post on how we shouldn’t be ashamed of our own lives!) but one of my cats has just been diagnosed with asthma and heart disease. We spent a whole week bleeding money to get him stable and figure out what was going on and now the treatment options are sparse and difficult. There’s a great weight over my house. We are going to lose him, probably sooner than all his older cat siblings, and it feels almost impossible to sit down and write. How can I when there are endless things to do to care for him? I feel like I should be dusting the house 24/7. And that’s just one creature among billions who are suffering, one awful thing among thousands of other awful things. And yet last night my partner gently reminded me that the most compassionate thing I can do for anyone in our home is to write. Because everything else inevitably follows with more ease.
Oh, Anna, I'm so sorry your cat received such a tough diagnosis. That's heart wrenching, and no, it doesn't hurt any less because you know how much else is going on out in the world; it's just one more weight on your heart. I wish you luck finding time and bandwidth for writing, and with everything you're facing. {{{hugs}}}
Exactly the post I needed to read today. Been having the toughest time talking about my books while the world is on fire! And I also need the reminder to stop doomscrolling and escape into a good read for a bit.
I really needed this today — not only for the outer world being on fire, but for the heartbreak in my own home. It may seem like nothing compared to everything else (interesting how that phrase spilled out of me automatically even though I just read your post on how we shouldn’t be ashamed of our own lives!) but one of my cats has just been diagnosed with asthma and heart disease. We spent a whole week bleeding money to get him stable and figure out what was going on and now the treatment options are sparse and difficult. There’s a great weight over my house. We are going to lose him, probably sooner than all his older cat siblings, and it feels almost impossible to sit down and write. How can I when there are endless things to do to care for him? I feel like I should be dusting the house 24/7. And that’s just one creature among billions who are suffering, one awful thing among thousands of other awful things. And yet last night my partner gently reminded me that the most compassionate thing I can do for anyone in our home is to write. Because everything else inevitably follows with more ease.
Thanks for sharing this. 🤍
Oh, Anna, I'm so sorry your cat received such a tough diagnosis. That's heart wrenching, and no, it doesn't hurt any less because you know how much else is going on out in the world; it's just one more weight on your heart. I wish you luck finding time and bandwidth for writing, and with everything you're facing. {{{hugs}}}
Thank you, you're very kind. <3 Hope there is peace and writing time in your summer as well!
Exactly the post I needed to read today. Been having the toughest time talking about my books while the world is on fire! And I also need the reminder to stop doomscrolling and escape into a good read for a bit.