Today's newsletter is about the impact of incarceration on family members. I'm remembering when my brother first went in and it was especially hard... on me.
Thanks for sharing this Claire! This line in particular really resonated with me. “In the early days of his incarceration, I wish I could say I did a bunch of therapy and felt enlightened, but I didn’t.” Right there you’ve encapsulated with honesty and vulnerability the reality of navigating challenges in life of this magnitude — sometimes it’s the little things (like work, train, yoga) that get us through the tough times. It might not look pretty, especially at the start, but somehow we find a way to pull through. Love this Claire ❤️
Thanks for your insight and for sharing this on Notes! When I was writing this, I almost felt wrong for comparing an incarceration to a death (as I know they are two totally different things), but because maybe I had never gone through a family member dying, this was maybe the closest thing to it, and it was so confusing. I also kept feeling like I needed to take that time of grief and turn it into something positive (BE PRODUCTIVE!), but I couldn't muster up enough energy to do anything beyond work and yoga. :/
I will never get enough of your writing. Your voice is so clear. Your authenticity is remarkable. Your feelings are right there for us to learn and understand. Your writing truly makes the world a kinder, more compassionate place. Thank you.
Hi Christine! Thank you for your comment, such a compliment coming from you! It's funny how the little things in life trigger such memories. When I look back on this time, this is all I remember doing ... work, being on that damn crowded BART, and rushing off to yoga. (I hope you're well, I messaged you to see how you were doing! Take care. <3)
Thanks for sharing this Claire! This line in particular really resonated with me. “In the early days of his incarceration, I wish I could say I did a bunch of therapy and felt enlightened, but I didn’t.” Right there you’ve encapsulated with honesty and vulnerability the reality of navigating challenges in life of this magnitude — sometimes it’s the little things (like work, train, yoga) that get us through the tough times. It might not look pretty, especially at the start, but somehow we find a way to pull through. Love this Claire ❤️
Thanks for your insight and for sharing this on Notes! When I was writing this, I almost felt wrong for comparing an incarceration to a death (as I know they are two totally different things), but because maybe I had never gone through a family member dying, this was maybe the closest thing to it, and it was so confusing. I also kept feeling like I needed to take that time of grief and turn it into something positive (BE PRODUCTIVE!), but I couldn't muster up enough energy to do anything beyond work and yoga. :/
I will never get enough of your writing. Your voice is so clear. Your authenticity is remarkable. Your feelings are right there for us to learn and understand. Your writing truly makes the world a kinder, more compassionate place. Thank you.
Hi Christine! Thank you for your comment, such a compliment coming from you! It's funny how the little things in life trigger such memories. When I look back on this time, this is all I remember doing ... work, being on that damn crowded BART, and rushing off to yoga. (I hope you're well, I messaged you to see how you were doing! Take care. <3)