Just a quick email to all subscribers to ‘The Art of Enchantment’ – whether free or paying – to say thank you for being interested enough to read my random ramblings in this Substack publication, which only sprang into being in June. I’m not one of those writers who believes that an audience isn’t necessary – that the act of writing itself is enough. If I felt that no one was reading, engaging, thinking, then I simply wouldn’t want to write. Readers are everything to me, and I’m grateful for you all. Knowing that so many of you are engaging with what I put out there inspires me to spend more time reflecting, researching, finding new ways to belong to this world so that I can share them all with you. Which is what I’ll be doing over the rest of this holiday season – digging deep, and dreaming deep.
We always aim to have the quietest Christmas possible. We’re both far away from what little family we have left, and have friends scattered all over the place, so it’s easy enough to achieve. For me, it seems so important in these darkest days of the year to take some solitary time out, for regrouping and reimagining. The year ahead is going to bring a move, more changes, more shapeshiftings and metamorphoses, and the older I get, the more important it is to me to enter into such periods mindfully and with gratitude. And with energy! – hence the need for a little time out to gather strength for the growing times ahead.
In the meantime, Maeve, The Cat Formerly Known As the Kitten of the Apocalypse, is well on the way to recovery from an infection and is celebrating in her own inimitable style by engaging in full-on warfare against the Christmas tree. Our three border collie dogs, Fionn, Jess and Luna, are anticipating a good few turkey scraps interspersed with the inevitable walks and naps. My sky-high pile of books is slowly diminishing. David is preparing to begin a PhD at the University of Edinburgh in January, in the broad field of Irish linguistics. And so the wheel turns again.
‘The Cat is on our mat …’
Wishing you all the rest, richness and nourishment of the long, deep dark. And see you the other side.
With love and gratitude,
Sharon
Sharon, you inspire so many! Thank you for all you give!
You have changed my life. While reading _If Women Rose Rooted_ for the first time, I felt compelled to walk to the river who runs from the ice field above our city through my neighborhood. In the year and a day that I committed to visiting her, she became my friend and elder. I told her stories I learned from you and she gave me countless gifts of rocks, roots, and wisdom. Thank you for directing my feet onto this particular path, which is leading me to writing stories sprouting from the land I walk and pollinated by my ancestry.
May seeds of new life grow in the darkness of your winter, ready to sprout in the spring.
Your writing is one of my highlights. Thank you for all you bring to the world. Enjoy your quiet time.