Me too spellbound, and i look forward every evening to read your thoughts. You are renegotiating your relationships and the angle you see everything from - and you are offering us an invitation to think similarly, which is a gift. Thanks for sharing.
Good evening, Hanif. Tough day again for you. I remember a similar time in my own life. There are crazy challenges every day and you will handle each one in turn in your own time. Life becomes about food, physio, medication and visitors for a while - you are still you and expressing this raw new phase of things is intrinsic to your recovery. At each stage you’ll think ‘This is me now’ but then there may be the tiniest improvement that you will adapt to and there’ll be ‘a new me’ to get used to. Today I’ve been listening to Dubliners (read by Andrew Scott on Audible) which is well worth a listen. He’s a brilliant storyteller. As I’m sure you know. I’m writing short stories at the moment and really love reading them. Margaret Atwood’s Stone Mattress is another great collection. You might enjoy learning Italian on the Duolingo app - it’s more like games really - if nothing else it’ll give you and your family a laugh. I’m learning French but I dip in and out of Italian as I find it trickier. But I think you might like it. I’m becoming quite competitive with it if truth be told. I do hope you have a better night again - sending lots of love to you and yours.
Perhaps the biggest non physical change might be to learn to love in a new way, a different reciprocity? For most a non existent or gently evolutionary experience throughout life, not an almost instant response to abruptly changed circumstances. I’m grateful to you Hanif for the newsletters. I’m glad that on reading each of them I take time to think of you although we’ve never met, the reading and the thinking is a gift in my inbox. Thank you. I now think of you in human form, flesh, blood, emotion, intellect, horizontal, vertical, all that, and no longer as an item of news. You recently came to my town, Colchester, with our friend Tom W. That was a good evening for me. Now I have morning coffee with you and reread your letter.
Well as per I am spellbound and right next to you as it were in your head spinning claustrophobic standing up thing GOD. I know exactly what you mean too about relationships - I never had an authentic relationship with my mum until she fell had sepsis in one leg then the other and a whole series of changed circumstances BUT we hated it we argued we cried and broke down and emerged with a real relationship. It is one of the most precious experiences of my life ⭐️Stay with it and know we are all hanging on your words⭐️
My brother Jack, a quadriplegic since age 43, recently died at 73. He had made a happy, loving for himself in spite of the painful limitations he endured. After his tragic accident he met the love of his life, experienced the birth of two grandchildren he loved deeply and played bridge and scrabble online with siblings. Plus his relationship with his son and daughter thrived. In his down time or when he couldn’t sleep. Jack loved listening to audiobooks. In his up time he was with his love Mary.
I've just read your piece "I sat up today" (The Guardian). You are a poet, sir. The precision and compression of the language made me weep. It'll also get me through the day.
When you write " With real writing, there is contact between the deepest part of one person, and that of another." it mirrors what Tolstoy defines as art , which is "an expression of a feeling or experience in such a way that the audience to whom the art is directed can share that feeling or experience".
Good evening Hanif, life is made of coincidences and perhaps this sad adventure could be a great inspiration for your books and for your life. Best wishes for a speedy recovery. A big fan of your work. Loretta
I am really enjoying your writing Hanif, as always. Your perspective on the world is unique, never more than now, and as others have commented, it is a gift. Thinking of you all, and willing the best for you all on this difficult, challenging journey. Thank you for your writing and continuing to write. Even if we can't be with you right now, we are with you.
Loved the way you described the "wild implausibility" of imaginative ideas solving seemingly intractable problems. I'd love to hear more about stories where you think writers have landed these great leaps of faith; it feels like something readers & writers would find illuminating and inspiring.
Me too spellbound, and i look forward every evening to read your thoughts. You are renegotiating your relationships and the angle you see everything from - and you are offering us an invitation to think similarly, which is a gift. Thanks for sharing.
Good evening, Hanif. Tough day again for you. I remember a similar time in my own life. There are crazy challenges every day and you will handle each one in turn in your own time. Life becomes about food, physio, medication and visitors for a while - you are still you and expressing this raw new phase of things is intrinsic to your recovery. At each stage you’ll think ‘This is me now’ but then there may be the tiniest improvement that you will adapt to and there’ll be ‘a new me’ to get used to. Today I’ve been listening to Dubliners (read by Andrew Scott on Audible) which is well worth a listen. He’s a brilliant storyteller. As I’m sure you know. I’m writing short stories at the moment and really love reading them. Margaret Atwood’s Stone Mattress is another great collection. You might enjoy learning Italian on the Duolingo app - it’s more like games really - if nothing else it’ll give you and your family a laugh. I’m learning French but I dip in and out of Italian as I find it trickier. But I think you might like it. I’m becoming quite competitive with it if truth be told. I do hope you have a better night again - sending lots of love to you and yours.
Kate x
Perhaps the biggest non physical change might be to learn to love in a new way, a different reciprocity? For most a non existent or gently evolutionary experience throughout life, not an almost instant response to abruptly changed circumstances. I’m grateful to you Hanif for the newsletters. I’m glad that on reading each of them I take time to think of you although we’ve never met, the reading and the thinking is a gift in my inbox. Thank you. I now think of you in human form, flesh, blood, emotion, intellect, horizontal, vertical, all that, and no longer as an item of news. You recently came to my town, Colchester, with our friend Tom W. That was a good evening for me. Now I have morning coffee with you and reread your letter.
With love to you and your loved ones
Well as per I am spellbound and right next to you as it were in your head spinning claustrophobic standing up thing GOD. I know exactly what you mean too about relationships - I never had an authentic relationship with my mum until she fell had sepsis in one leg then the other and a whole series of changed circumstances BUT we hated it we argued we cried and broke down and emerged with a real relationship. It is one of the most precious experiences of my life ⭐️Stay with it and know we are all hanging on your words⭐️
Italian. Easy Peasy! I’ve been trying for 20 years…. Can order a pizza now😂
My brother Jack, a quadriplegic since age 43, recently died at 73. He had made a happy, loving for himself in spite of the painful limitations he endured. After his tragic accident he met the love of his life, experienced the birth of two grandchildren he loved deeply and played bridge and scrabble online with siblings. Plus his relationship with his son and daughter thrived. In his down time or when he couldn’t sleep. Jack loved listening to audiobooks. In his up time he was with his love Mary.
Life was good for my brother Jack.
I've just read your piece "I sat up today" (The Guardian). You are a poet, sir. The precision and compression of the language made me weep. It'll also get me through the day.
When you write " With real writing, there is contact between the deepest part of one person, and that of another." it mirrors what Tolstoy defines as art , which is "an expression of a feeling or experience in such a way that the audience to whom the art is directed can share that feeling or experience".
Good evening Hanif, life is made of coincidences and perhaps this sad adventure could be a great inspiration for your books and for your life. Best wishes for a speedy recovery. A big fan of your work. Loretta
Wishing you sleep when you want it
I am really enjoying your writing Hanif, as always. Your perspective on the world is unique, never more than now, and as others have commented, it is a gift. Thinking of you all, and willing the best for you all on this difficult, challenging journey. Thank you for your writing and continuing to write. Even if we can't be with you right now, we are with you.
That’s a full on day. I can’t believe you have the energy to even think of writing too. Have a good restorative sleep.
With time and patience, the mulberry turns into silk. Courage.
Loved the way you described the "wild implausibility" of imaginative ideas solving seemingly intractable problems. I'd love to hear more about stories where you think writers have landed these great leaps of faith; it feels like something readers & writers would find illuminating and inspiring.
With best wishes for your recovery,
Rupert
Use us as a resource ….??