Darlings, friends, and readers —
Thank you for sticking around while I hit reset for a bit. I’ll see you next week, with some updates and actual writing. In the meantime, if you want to hear me talk about some of the themes I’ve been writing about here, check out my visits to Shan Boodram’s podcast, Lovers & Friends; Debbie Millman’s podcast, Design Matters; and a two-parter on Glennon Doyle’s podcast, We Can Do Hard Things.
I hope you enjoy listening, and I’m so looking forward to catching up.
Next time,
Ashley
I love and want to affirm your rest! Not that you need my affirmation or love, but I oh so appreciate that I never get the feeling that your newsletter is being written out of obligation. Often people (myself included) feel the need to stick to a certain posting schedule and I think it has a completely different energy than showing up in the newsletter when the words arrive.
It's that flow that you have that is so powerful and freeing... Even in the absence of writing you're making waves, Ashley!
Your interview with Debbie 😭 I kept thinking of Debbie’s strained relationship/ estrangement with her mother and how it takes so much work to get to a place where you release, let go of holding out for this person to see you.
I hear Ijeoma Umebinyuo’s poem:
Bless the daughters who sat carrying the trauma of mothers.
Who sat asking for more love,
And not getting any,
Carried themselves to light.