In which we: unpack the “is she mad?” mentality, contemplate informed consent for a podcast space, and be explicit about the care infrastructure and needs of Ismatu Gwendolyn. Thanks for listening <3
Sep 24, 2023·edited Sep 24, 2023Liked by ismatu gwendolyn
Hi Ismatu! I am always refreshed listening to you talk to us so personally and would love to continue listening to your real-time learning at your pace. Your I don’t always comment because I don’t feel like I can say anything as eloquently as you, but I always read/listen!!
I’ve always found it embarrassing to admit that I care about something. But I’m trying to grow so I guess I’m here to say that I care so deeply about you and the art you create. Thank you. I feel so grateful that I found you early enough that I can still feel like I’m a small part of this.
I appreciate your candidness about how your becoming can mean not sharing consistently. Although I don't share myself publicly, I'm very similar in my personal life. Between just living life and unpacking so much of that living, it's necessary at times to retreat, rest, and heal. Give yourself the grace to take care of you.
A thing I've been chewing on lately is that my loved ones entrust me with my own care. I'm not great at self love - a condition endemic to our current societal issues - and it's very, very easy for me to skip out on taking care of myself. It's hard! And it takes a lot of time and most of the time I'm just fucking tired. But I'm not just FOR me, you know? The people who love this soul and body and mind, they care about whether it's safe. The people who love me NEED me to care for myself because I'm not just mine.
Is that part of being in a community? Belonging not just to yourself, but to everyone whose life touches you? I've known for a while that nobody else can heal you (whaaaat years of relationship trauma?), but I think this is sort of the first time I'm realizing that nobody else can consistently care for you. We all got shit going on and part of making sure not to add to other people's piles is making sure yours is stable. So...sorry this is sort of ramble-y, I'm working it out in real time. So stabilizing yourself is the opposite of selfish. Backing yourself away from the precipice is the opposite of shame. Ask for what you need and trust because I don't know what the hell else we're supposed to do and if we're all living perched on a sheer drop then nobody's gonna be able to get anything done.
Hi Ismatu! I am always refreshed listening to you talk to us so personally and would love to continue listening to your real-time learning at your pace. Your I don’t always comment because I don’t feel like I can say anything as eloquently as you, but I always read/listen!!
I’ve always found it embarrassing to admit that I care about something. But I’m trying to grow so I guess I’m here to say that I care so deeply about you and the art you create. Thank you. I feel so grateful that I found you early enough that I can still feel like I’m a small part of this.
I appreciate your candidness about how your becoming can mean not sharing consistently. Although I don't share myself publicly, I'm very similar in my personal life. Between just living life and unpacking so much of that living, it's necessary at times to retreat, rest, and heal. Give yourself the grace to take care of you.
A thing I've been chewing on lately is that my loved ones entrust me with my own care. I'm not great at self love - a condition endemic to our current societal issues - and it's very, very easy for me to skip out on taking care of myself. It's hard! And it takes a lot of time and most of the time I'm just fucking tired. But I'm not just FOR me, you know? The people who love this soul and body and mind, they care about whether it's safe. The people who love me NEED me to care for myself because I'm not just mine.
Is that part of being in a community? Belonging not just to yourself, but to everyone whose life touches you? I've known for a while that nobody else can heal you (whaaaat years of relationship trauma?), but I think this is sort of the first time I'm realizing that nobody else can consistently care for you. We all got shit going on and part of making sure not to add to other people's piles is making sure yours is stable. So...sorry this is sort of ramble-y, I'm working it out in real time. So stabilizing yourself is the opposite of selfish. Backing yourself away from the precipice is the opposite of shame. Ask for what you need and trust because I don't know what the hell else we're supposed to do and if we're all living perched on a sheer drop then nobody's gonna be able to get anything done.
I recognize my parents in myself so much now it's wild 😭😂