Welcome to Morning Ink, where I share my daily fountain pen drawing and whatever thoughts (sometimes none, mostly reasonably short, occasionally long and very rambling) jump out and onto the screen. If you don’t want daily emails you can toggle them off by going to Manage subscription – just turn Morning Ink off, no need to fully unsubscribe!1
Another quick one today. Quick = about 30 minutes.
Yesterday, I did not get 10,000 steps. I went out about 4.30 pm. Got into town, and really did not feel up to going further. So I went and had a coffee and a slice of cake instead and read substacks on my phone. I realised I should have got my sketchbook out and drawn people instead. Next time!
I was in tears this morning reading about the preparations for the hurricane in Jamaica.
I have a quite strange feeling of connection with the island, having spent a week and a bit there trying to help my mum when she had a severe manic episode while on a trip there and not long before she died of lung cancer. It was probably the most traumatic period of my life, but also I got to see that amazing island (and not the Jamaica of all-inclusive holidays) and meet some wonderful people. And I am thinking of those wonderful people now and the many more who I didn’t meet. I am thinking of some of the things she said while we were there, many of which sounded very crazy, but plenty of which actually probably weren’t that crazy, including the plan she was making to move back to Jamaica and build a community in the mountains where she would bring as many people as she could, because it would be the only safe place in a few years. It felt desperate to her and like she needed to sort it immediately, which seemed over the top to me at the time, but less so today.
I am sure I would be thinking of and scared for the people of Jamaica anyway, but that brief time there makes it feel bigger and more real, somehow.
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