So beautiful Emily. Love how you use your creativity to connect and inspire.
Stories told by one, taken up by you, stories shared, stories sparkling little fairy lights, dragon wings and stars, weaving their way around the world.
Thank you for being you. 💛 ps and I read Kendall's story too. Wow. So powerful. Thanks to both of you. xx
Thank you Jo - I think that we weave into each other's stories through writing and sharing our insides on the outside. And isn't it the enchantment, love, wonder, mystery, joy and all the other emotions that give life its meaning? Without them, when everything is logical and practical and explainable, it ceases to have any meaning. I loved Kendall's first instalment of her dragon-child story, and to find myself woven into the second was such a wonderful gift. I'm glad that you read and enjoyed Kendall's story too. Much love xx
This is so lovely, Emily - that the ember born in you so long ago, sparked magic for a dragon girl today.
I believe that children are born with a remembering and an awareness of ‘all that is’, of other things and other places beyond this physical world into which they have now arrived.
And here they are usually told that these things they may remember and sometimes say they see, cannot possibly be real (exceptions being of course the wise and beautiful mothering of Kendall Lamb ).
And so then as we become adults, this knowledge and awareness is shut down, but I think that as adults we do still have a need for enchantment and magic - not only to sometimes escape from lives here which can sometimes feel so harsh, but also because deep down there is a sense that these things are real and that there is so much more to our existence here than we know. x
I had forgotten the dream and the promise I made to my teddies and It was such a gift to remember them and feel the connection of enchantment with Kendall and her daughter. The way that Kendall responded to her daughter's imaginings was so beautiful to read - Children use stories, dragons, imaginary companions and enchanted worlds to explore real feelings, and I guess that adults do the same through novels, art, myths, religion, fantasy, poetry and film, the mechanism changes but the human need remains the same however old we are. Thank you for your kind words and for reading. Much love xx
Thank you Jay - it felt like Kendall and her daughter granted me a great gift to be a part of their wonderful story and reminding me of enchantment from my own childhood that I had forgotten.
What a super beautiful story. I hope you can create more portals, so others can also find their way back home; wherever or with whomever that might be. Magical portals are key. Few can make them. What a gift to have.
Thank you Klamo, you are very kind. Having the capacity to draw and write and make things brings me so much joy, so for that to travel outward and create portals for others - I couldn't wish for anything more xx
Emily!!! I wish you could've seen my face when I listened to you read this. As soon as I heard "dragon girl", I knew you were looping in Kendall and her beautiful daughter. The way your creativity swirled itself into this story, offering a portal to this child's own precious experience, is so touching.
I've been thinking a lot lately about boundaries and how I've been told my whole life that I have "bad boundaries" and I think it's time I defend my porosity. One of the things that came up while exploring porous boundaries in nature, estuaries, shorelines, skin/fur, is that there is an intermediary between the two zones, acting as a translator so the two entities become relational and intelligent. I think storytelling, ritual and creativity are beautiful examples of those mediators. And so what I landed on while listening to you just now is that your creativity is a kind of mediator, one that intuitively understands that all of life (and beyond) is ecological, and that the veils between our skin and lives and worlds are much more liminal and relational than our minds can comprehend.
You made that veil between Kendall's daughter and her dragon-world more alive. Your creativity is a living shoreline that might be opening up more portals than you even know. x
God how I love this, Kim. Porous boundaries in nature — estuaries, shorelines, skin, fur as the intermediaries and translators between zones — and porous boundaries in reality, of stories and creativity — that mediate between the practical and the measurable and enchantment and wonder.
When I read the first part of Kendall’s dragon-girl story, I was so swept away by it, and by Kendall’s response in understanding that fears, dreams and imaginings deserve to be taken seriously and with respect. I remembered my dragon dream and that I’d never told a soul about it, and somehow, the way that Kendall entered into the emotional truth of her daughter’s loss and longing, made me feel understood.
To then find that the little faerie cottage that I had sent to Kendall for her daughter’s birthday had entered into such a powerful and wonderful story, and even more that a fae-born human named Emily was a part of it, was the greatest gift.
Thank you for listening, and sharing so much of your own heart too xx
This is lovely. I think adults often pretend they have outgrown enchantment, when really they have only learned to feel embarrassed by needing it. My own writing tends to approach the old doors from the darker side, like folklore, warnings, ghosts, bargains, things half-seen in the wood. But I think it comes from the same place. Wonder and dread are not opposites. They are both ways of admitting the world is larger than the measurable part of it.
I think you’re absolutely right Edvane, we still need the stories, the mysteries, the enchantments and the darkness too. I never stopped wanting to immerse myself in worlds of magic but I was embarrassed by it and thought it was just to ‘escape’, but the need within us goes so much deeper. We need the dark and the light, the wonder and the dread. Thank you for reading and leaving such a thoughtful comment.
So beautiful Emily. Love how you use your creativity to connect and inspire.
Stories told by one, taken up by you, stories shared, stories sparkling little fairy lights, dragon wings and stars, weaving their way around the world.
Thank you for being you. 💛 ps and I read Kendall's story too. Wow. So powerful. Thanks to both of you. xx
Thank you Jo - I think that we weave into each other's stories through writing and sharing our insides on the outside. And isn't it the enchantment, love, wonder, mystery, joy and all the other emotions that give life its meaning? Without them, when everything is logical and practical and explainable, it ceases to have any meaning. I loved Kendall's first instalment of her dragon-child story, and to find myself woven into the second was such a wonderful gift. I'm glad that you read and enjoyed Kendall's story too. Much love xx
Yes Yes and Yes to your hypothetical question. Bring on the wonder and the mystery! xx
This is so lovely, Emily - that the ember born in you so long ago, sparked magic for a dragon girl today.
I believe that children are born with a remembering and an awareness of ‘all that is’, of other things and other places beyond this physical world into which they have now arrived.
And here they are usually told that these things they may remember and sometimes say they see, cannot possibly be real (exceptions being of course the wise and beautiful mothering of Kendall Lamb ).
And so then as we become adults, this knowledge and awareness is shut down, but I think that as adults we do still have a need for enchantment and magic - not only to sometimes escape from lives here which can sometimes feel so harsh, but also because deep down there is a sense that these things are real and that there is so much more to our existence here than we know. x
I had forgotten the dream and the promise I made to my teddies and It was such a gift to remember them and feel the connection of enchantment with Kendall and her daughter. The way that Kendall responded to her daughter's imaginings was so beautiful to read - Children use stories, dragons, imaginary companions and enchanted worlds to explore real feelings, and I guess that adults do the same through novels, art, myths, religion, fantasy, poetry and film, the mechanism changes but the human need remains the same however old we are. Thank you for your kind words and for reading. Much love xx
Emily, I remember that the first time I saw your work,I sensed something absolutely magical about it.
So to find out now that you are born of fae makes perfect sense!
Your works are indeed bridges between the realms.
Yes, that human need always remains. It’s fundamental to what we are, I think
Thank you for the gift of your joyously beautiful work, Emily. The feeling of it, lifts my heart.
Much love xx
🙏💛🥹
Emily, this was so, so beautiful. I only made it through in tears, with tears streaming down my face, because I love Kendall’s stories so much.
Both the stories and Kendall herself mean a great deal to me. She is such a wonderful person and such a wonderful friend.
To read your words taking in her daughter’s words and weaving them into such a beautiful story felt mesmerizing.
Thank you so much.
Thank you Jay - it felt like Kendall and her daughter granted me a great gift to be a part of their wonderful story and reminding me of enchantment from my own childhood that I had forgotten.
So glad you let it open you. And the gift you sent is beautiful.
What a super beautiful story. I hope you can create more portals, so others can also find their way back home; wherever or with whomever that might be. Magical portals are key. Few can make them. What a gift to have.
Thank you Klamo, you are very kind. Having the capacity to draw and write and make things brings me so much joy, so for that to travel outward and create portals for others - I couldn't wish for anything more xx
Emily!!! I wish you could've seen my face when I listened to you read this. As soon as I heard "dragon girl", I knew you were looping in Kendall and her beautiful daughter. The way your creativity swirled itself into this story, offering a portal to this child's own precious experience, is so touching.
I've been thinking a lot lately about boundaries and how I've been told my whole life that I have "bad boundaries" and I think it's time I defend my porosity. One of the things that came up while exploring porous boundaries in nature, estuaries, shorelines, skin/fur, is that there is an intermediary between the two zones, acting as a translator so the two entities become relational and intelligent. I think storytelling, ritual and creativity are beautiful examples of those mediators. And so what I landed on while listening to you just now is that your creativity is a kind of mediator, one that intuitively understands that all of life (and beyond) is ecological, and that the veils between our skin and lives and worlds are much more liminal and relational than our minds can comprehend.
You made that veil between Kendall's daughter and her dragon-world more alive. Your creativity is a living shoreline that might be opening up more portals than you even know. x
God how I love this, Kim. Porous boundaries in nature — estuaries, shorelines, skin, fur as the intermediaries and translators between zones — and porous boundaries in reality, of stories and creativity — that mediate between the practical and the measurable and enchantment and wonder.
When I read the first part of Kendall’s dragon-girl story, I was so swept away by it, and by Kendall’s response in understanding that fears, dreams and imaginings deserve to be taken seriously and with respect. I remembered my dragon dream and that I’d never told a soul about it, and somehow, the way that Kendall entered into the emotional truth of her daughter’s loss and longing, made me feel understood.
To then find that the little faerie cottage that I had sent to Kendall for her daughter’s birthday had entered into such a powerful and wonderful story, and even more that a fae-born human named Emily was a part of it, was the greatest gift.
Thank you for listening, and sharing so much of your own heart too xx
This is lovely. I think adults often pretend they have outgrown enchantment, when really they have only learned to feel embarrassed by needing it. My own writing tends to approach the old doors from the darker side, like folklore, warnings, ghosts, bargains, things half-seen in the wood. But I think it comes from the same place. Wonder and dread are not opposites. They are both ways of admitting the world is larger than the measurable part of it.
I think you’re absolutely right Edvane, we still need the stories, the mysteries, the enchantments and the darkness too. I never stopped wanting to immerse myself in worlds of magic but I was embarrassed by it and thought it was just to ‘escape’, but the need within us goes so much deeper. We need the dark and the light, the wonder and the dread. Thank you for reading and leaving such a thoughtful comment.