John Hewitt Summer School – Day 2

𝙄𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙙, 𝙬𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙧𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙚 𝙙𝙞𝙙𝙣’𝙩 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥𝙨 𝙬𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙛𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙬𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚.

💫 💫 💫💫 💫 💫💫 💫 💫💫 💫 💫💫 💫 💫💫 💫 💫💫 💫 💫💫 💫 💫

This quote, often attributed to Lewis Carroll although I don’t believe he actually said/wrote it, resonated hard with me this morning.

As I start Day 2 of the John Hewitt International Summer School, there is a massive part of me wondering why I haven’t done something like this before?

Realistically, I know why – because life, because family, because children?

To be fair those things have never held me back. I have the most supportive little family who encourage me always to find my voice so honestly, they have probably just been my excuse.

The real why?

Me!

I am the reason.

The voice inside my head, saying I can’t or I shouldn’t, the voice inside my head saying I’m not good enough or won’t fit in. That is all me.

Yet after one day in the beautiful city of Armagh, I have realised that I don’t need to think that way. Yes, I might not be the next Booker Prize nominee, yes I might never even have any of my work published, but that doesn’t mean I should hold myself back and stop myself from enjoying what I love!

Yesterday I spent the day listening to poets, learning from published authors, looking at art, listening to live music and watching a drama performance.

Everyone had their own unique interpretation of their place and their art. They did not try to fit in a box – they embraced themselves, their differences and most importantly their own art!

I got chatting to some amazing people – funny people, extroverted prison, introverted people, people who challenged what I thought and others who felt the same about many things!

All in all it has been a wonderful experience and I am filled with caffeine and ready for Day 2 📚