A lot of time has passed since I last posted. I've been to Indonesia for nearly 2 months, writing and enjoying the incredible softness and warm-heartedness of Bali. I met so many wonderful and significant people there, people who had experienced death and loss in many different forms, and who were willing to share their stories with me. As a result my project is undergoing a gentle but steady evolution. Like a river, it's now braiding into separate strands, that may fuse together again at some point....
One stream that I want to follow is to create a space for people to discuss and share their losses and griefs - a death cafe, if you like. It seems to me we have so little opportunity to do that, and one of the striking things about Bali was the ease with which people talk about, celebrate and incorporate others into the experience of death. In Balinese Hinduism, the belief in reincarnation is absolutely core, but whatever we think about what happens after death I feel we could benefit from having more about death and loss in our lives!
My hope is to create an exhibition, drawing on my mum's work and my own, that creates and holds a space for people to share their experiences, reflections and creative work about living and dying. I would hope to include my mum's beautiful ceramics, alongside my writings and some other pieces I want to create. The idea is embryonic, and there is a lot to prepare and think about, but I will keep you updated. Likely date is May/June 2015 in Bristol.
In parallel, I'd like to pursue some writing that helps to share the developments in research and clinical practice for MND. Having just attended the Motor Neurone Disease Association Annual Symposium in Brussels (Bali to Brussels - big shock!) I was inspired by the enormous energy and dedication of people working on MND. I'll post something on the session that struck me most - on end of life decisions - before Christmas, but I would really like to help give voice to all of the activity and ideas that are emerging in the field. I've just sent off the first emails requesting interviews from some of the people I met at the meeting, my voice having dried up to a harsh squeak at the meeting itself! First up will be Dr Martin Turner from Oxford, an incredible thinker, researcher and clinician that I first met in January 2014 and saw again in Brussels.
I'll try to post more often, and to get some other writing online! New Years' Resolutions abound.
With love and warmest wishes for a creative and peaceful New Year,
Pip
