TWO YEARS!! What an achievement Sabrina, hooray! And honestly how did that time go by SO fast?? Reading your sub stacks each week has become a welcome part of my life, and I always look forward to your creative and imaginative takes on a whole host of topics. Thank you for that and look forward to the years to come!
Aww, thanks so much for your kind comments Martha! I've appreciated your support and enthusiasm from the very beginning. And yes, I am also surprised that two years have flown by. Now I'm wondering when am I actually going to get the book finished! (and convince you to start YOUR writing project) 😉
Firstly, thank the stars you came to Substack. I always feel at home just reading your columns - they're too good, too emotive to be called 'posts'. And it's been very special to make the connection.
Secondly, re home: we've moved way too much in our lives and whilst we always had a house, I always found it difficult to call it a home because that implied so much more. I needed more of the settling of the soul, of a deep contentment, not just a shelter.
I always knew 'home' was back on the island of Tasmania (and was happy when we finally moved back). Of course, my older past friends had moved on and we'd all changed too. But I didn't go searching for new friends. I let serendipity do its thing and helped it along a bit by following areas of interest, doing classes and courses. Better friends appeared and relationships formed. But as I'm essentially an introvert who is happiest when alone (or with family and dog), the most important thing for me are the surroundings and what I make of them. That has happened at a deepening level with each passing day and I'm profoundly grateful for it.
Prue, my dear writer friend, you have been one of the best things that has come out of being here! I have loved getting to know you through your writing here, reading a few of your books, and our other exchanges.
I have been inspired by the way you write about your life, the way you LIVE your life, and by the thoughts that you share along the way. You are a beautiful writer, and just plain inspirational. I wish I could snap my fingers and land in Tasmania so we could go for a long walk on one of the lovely beaches with your delightful JRT trotting alongside.
As to your thoughts about home, I certainly understand that certain places are just the absolute right place. Whilst you can live in many places, only one of them is the most well-suited, where your heart lives.
I used to have a few places in the world that I physically ached for. If I didn't get there on a regular basis, my body yearned for that place: the light, the smells, the quality of air, the visual cues from buildings or natural landscapes.
But over time, that ache seems to have passed. It may be because I am travelling more often now and get to be in most of these places more often? It is something I want to think about more, and may possibly muse on here...
I wish you could drop in. Or that I could drop in to the Isle of Wight. Distances are such a pain!
You are very kind to say such nice things about my writing. I am sure you can identify with the idea that when we publish, we wonder if the columns will garner any interest at all. It's writer insecurity.
And home... gosh, it's such a convoluted thing, isn't it? I'll be interested to read your musings. One thing I've been told repeatedly is that if one is a complete person, home is right where you are in that moment. Hmmm....
Your question about home resonated with me as I went to my parent's home after work yesterday to have a good-bye. It is staged, listed and will probably be in contract soon. This was my mother's dream house (which you saw when you came to my birthday). I helped her with the floor plan, decorating, and entertaining. I stayed there when I needed to over the years. The home sits on over an acre of land on top of a hill with views spanning the water and Mt. Tam. I felt a strong sense of place as I walked the perimeter of the property feeling the breeze, seeing the ripples on the water and watching the sun set. Putting my face against the windows to see how it was staged signaled it was ready for a new family and memories. I wasn't sad. I was satisfied that it would serve a new chapter. The kid in me decided to take a few rocks from the dry creek my mom designed. She loved rocks. She would be happy to know I had them for the next chapter in my life.
Oh, I well remember that beautiful home! And those amazing views. It sounds like you have a healthy relationship to letting go of a wonderful place. And it is lovely to think of a new family starting their next chapter in a place filled with love. Those rocks will be a perfect token to keep with you and remind you of a special place that held your most special mother. Thanks so much for sharing your home memory with us. It is beautiful! ❤️
Mazel tov! Interesting to hear how you came to publish weekly in this space. It is my experience too that our art transforms our lives just as the way we live informs our artistry. As always it is fun to hear your voice in contemplative celebration—Sabrina style 😎
Congratulations on 2 years and 91 posts! What a wonderful achievement. I'm new round here, but have been really enjoying your writing. Here's to 4 years and 184 posts, and beyond! <3
Thanks so much Jayne! I am so glad you are here and have jumped right in! I look forward to reading more of what you notice during your new life in Madrid. I've literally laughed out loud reading a few of your essays. Cheers to writing our way through these changes!
Well done, Sabrina—two years! That is impressive. You are a good role model! As a fellow introvert who has made a few big moves, I know how hard it can be to start over again in a new place. More than once, it seemed like we moved right at the point when we had just reached a happy cusp inhabited by new friends and a welcome feeling of community. So I have experienced the trails of starting anew. Don't stop writing!
Aw, thanks so much Tim! I appreciate your very kind words.
I especially value that you know the world from which I write: moving around the world to start new lives, and also you are familiar with the very special place where we started. We've had pretty amazing lives, don't you think?
Congratulations, Sabrina on hitting this incredible milestone. I am inspired by your commitment, and deeply grateful that you take your readers alongside you on this journey. It’s a privilege to subscribe and follow!
WOW, 91 posts! That is really remarkable. Congratulations for your diligence, determination, commitment, and terrific writing. It's been a huge pleasure and inspiration to receive your words every Thursday. I look forward to years' more of them. How you think of and write about a deep and meaningful topic every week is beyond me.
I admire you for investing all that energy into meeting your "people." I haven't done that and as much as I say I need and want a bigger social life yet I don't do much to make it happen. I've made a few friends by serendipity and I'm thankful for and enjoy them. I've joined the International Newcomers Club and have been to a few events but haven't yet glommed onto any possible acquaintances with whom to develop a deep bond. Maybe I will. I have my lifelong friends already and maybe that's enough.
I've had a few big moves, to Madrid being the most unusual. I haven't regretted it or looked back for a second. If I need to return to the US someday I can but it the meantime, this is truly home. We'll see if and how that changes when we're a lot older and our children seem that much farther away. That's the part I worry about.
Thanks for another lovely essay. Congratulations again!
Thank you for your very kind words Andrea. I hope to keep writing and to have you as my writing buddy all the while!
I think I shot my wad for meeting people in new places earlier in my life and am now ready for enjoying the people I know well wherever they are in the world, and of course spending time with my family too. I'll meet people as it comes, but no more crazy energy efforts JUST to meet new people. I'm not going to worry about the future and proximity to our kids for now.
And I am soo soo happy that Madrid has become a well-enjoyed home for you. It is a lovely city and it seems to suit you both so well.
Looking forward to many years of your Snippets from Spain!
TWO YEARS!! What an achievement Sabrina, hooray! And honestly how did that time go by SO fast?? Reading your sub stacks each week has become a welcome part of my life, and I always look forward to your creative and imaginative takes on a whole host of topics. Thank you for that and look forward to the years to come!
Aww, thanks so much for your kind comments Martha! I've appreciated your support and enthusiasm from the very beginning. And yes, I am also surprised that two years have flown by. Now I'm wondering when am I actually going to get the book finished! (and convince you to start YOUR writing project) 😉
Firstly, thank the stars you came to Substack. I always feel at home just reading your columns - they're too good, too emotive to be called 'posts'. And it's been very special to make the connection.
Secondly, re home: we've moved way too much in our lives and whilst we always had a house, I always found it difficult to call it a home because that implied so much more. I needed more of the settling of the soul, of a deep contentment, not just a shelter.
I always knew 'home' was back on the island of Tasmania (and was happy when we finally moved back). Of course, my older past friends had moved on and we'd all changed too. But I didn't go searching for new friends. I let serendipity do its thing and helped it along a bit by following areas of interest, doing classes and courses. Better friends appeared and relationships formed. But as I'm essentially an introvert who is happiest when alone (or with family and dog), the most important thing for me are the surroundings and what I make of them. That has happened at a deepening level with each passing day and I'm profoundly grateful for it.
Prue, my dear writer friend, you have been one of the best things that has come out of being here! I have loved getting to know you through your writing here, reading a few of your books, and our other exchanges.
I have been inspired by the way you write about your life, the way you LIVE your life, and by the thoughts that you share along the way. You are a beautiful writer, and just plain inspirational. I wish I could snap my fingers and land in Tasmania so we could go for a long walk on one of the lovely beaches with your delightful JRT trotting alongside.
As to your thoughts about home, I certainly understand that certain places are just the absolute right place. Whilst you can live in many places, only one of them is the most well-suited, where your heart lives.
I used to have a few places in the world that I physically ached for. If I didn't get there on a regular basis, my body yearned for that place: the light, the smells, the quality of air, the visual cues from buildings or natural landscapes.
But over time, that ache seems to have passed. It may be because I am travelling more often now and get to be in most of these places more often? It is something I want to think about more, and may possibly muse on here...
Thanks, always, for your delightful company! ❤️
I wish you could drop in. Or that I could drop in to the Isle of Wight. Distances are such a pain!
You are very kind to say such nice things about my writing. I am sure you can identify with the idea that when we publish, we wonder if the columns will garner any interest at all. It's writer insecurity.
And home... gosh, it's such a convoluted thing, isn't it? I'll be interested to read your musings. One thing I've been told repeatedly is that if one is a complete person, home is right where you are in that moment. Hmmm....
Your question about home resonated with me as I went to my parent's home after work yesterday to have a good-bye. It is staged, listed and will probably be in contract soon. This was my mother's dream house (which you saw when you came to my birthday). I helped her with the floor plan, decorating, and entertaining. I stayed there when I needed to over the years. The home sits on over an acre of land on top of a hill with views spanning the water and Mt. Tam. I felt a strong sense of place as I walked the perimeter of the property feeling the breeze, seeing the ripples on the water and watching the sun set. Putting my face against the windows to see how it was staged signaled it was ready for a new family and memories. I wasn't sad. I was satisfied that it would serve a new chapter. The kid in me decided to take a few rocks from the dry creek my mom designed. She loved rocks. She would be happy to know I had them for the next chapter in my life.
Oh, I well remember that beautiful home! And those amazing views. It sounds like you have a healthy relationship to letting go of a wonderful place. And it is lovely to think of a new family starting their next chapter in a place filled with love. Those rocks will be a perfect token to keep with you and remind you of a special place that held your most special mother. Thanks so much for sharing your home memory with us. It is beautiful! ❤️
Such beautiful words, Virginia. I love that you've got those rocks - what a very special memento.
Mazel tov! Interesting to hear how you came to publish weekly in this space. It is my experience too that our art transforms our lives just as the way we live informs our artistry. As always it is fun to hear your voice in contemplative celebration—Sabrina style 😎
Thanks so much for sharing your artist thoughts Carol! Life -> art -> life. I'm so glad you are here for this journey. ❤️
Congratulations on 2 years and 91 posts! What a wonderful achievement. I'm new round here, but have been really enjoying your writing. Here's to 4 years and 184 posts, and beyond! <3
Thanks so much Jayne! I am so glad you are here and have jumped right in! I look forward to reading more of what you notice during your new life in Madrid. I've literally laughed out loud reading a few of your essays. Cheers to writing our way through these changes!
Absolutely, here's to writing our way through it all! Thank you for your lovely words, and for mentioning me to your friend in Madrid, Andrea!
Yay! Of course! Happy to connect like-minded people!
Huge gracias-es!
Well done, Sabrina—two years! That is impressive. You are a good role model! As a fellow introvert who has made a few big moves, I know how hard it can be to start over again in a new place. More than once, it seemed like we moved right at the point when we had just reached a happy cusp inhabited by new friends and a welcome feeling of community. So I have experienced the trails of starting anew. Don't stop writing!
Aw, thanks so much Tim! I appreciate your very kind words.
I especially value that you know the world from which I write: moving around the world to start new lives, and also you are familiar with the very special place where we started. We've had pretty amazing lives, don't you think?
Congratulations, Sabrina on hitting this incredible milestone. I am inspired by your commitment, and deeply grateful that you take your readers alongside you on this journey. It’s a privilege to subscribe and follow!
Thank you so much Dana for your very kind comments. I'm delighted that you are along for the journey too! I always appreciate your thoughts. xx
Oh wow, congratulations on your milestone, Sabrina - I'm so delighted for you!
Home holds such strong feelings, wherever we find it. Awesome. ❤️
Thank YOU, Rebecca for your constant supportive presence along the way. You were a big part of creating the lovely conversations we have here. 🤗🎉
😘
WOW, 91 posts! That is really remarkable. Congratulations for your diligence, determination, commitment, and terrific writing. It's been a huge pleasure and inspiration to receive your words every Thursday. I look forward to years' more of them. How you think of and write about a deep and meaningful topic every week is beyond me.
I admire you for investing all that energy into meeting your "people." I haven't done that and as much as I say I need and want a bigger social life yet I don't do much to make it happen. I've made a few friends by serendipity and I'm thankful for and enjoy them. I've joined the International Newcomers Club and have been to a few events but haven't yet glommed onto any possible acquaintances with whom to develop a deep bond. Maybe I will. I have my lifelong friends already and maybe that's enough.
I've had a few big moves, to Madrid being the most unusual. I haven't regretted it or looked back for a second. If I need to return to the US someday I can but it the meantime, this is truly home. We'll see if and how that changes when we're a lot older and our children seem that much farther away. That's the part I worry about.
Thanks for another lovely essay. Congratulations again!
Thank you for your very kind words Andrea. I hope to keep writing and to have you as my writing buddy all the while!
I think I shot my wad for meeting people in new places earlier in my life and am now ready for enjoying the people I know well wherever they are in the world, and of course spending time with my family too. I'll meet people as it comes, but no more crazy energy efforts JUST to meet new people. I'm not going to worry about the future and proximity to our kids for now.
And I am soo soo happy that Madrid has become a well-enjoyed home for you. It is a lovely city and it seems to suit you both so well.
Looking forward to many years of your Snippets from Spain!
xx
We're in it together through thick and thin - writing and living in a different country. Just like nearly six decades of our life together.