Hi Friends,
I’ve been on this writing journey for some time now, and it has taken many turns and more than a few setbacks, but the heart keeps moving in the direction of the call it receives, so here I am for the long count. Hello, and welcome! Sit down for a cuppa. Stay for the soul care. Let’s write our way toward hopefulness.
What you may not know about me is I'm a person with chronic illness, or for short, a spoonie. That means my energy is extremely limited, so I’m here when I can be here, and I’m thinking of being here when I can’t. Sometimes I take loooong breaks, and sometimes I forget how to breathe and think I should throw in the towel, but always I think we’ve all gotta have a little more mercy for ourselves and each other for setbacks and new paths, failures and fortunes, and wildly different futures than the ones we pictured as children.
My favorite part of writing is poetry. I write other things in this space, too, but poetry is the thing that splashes every other thing with color and shape and scent and feeling and warmth. It opens portals of imagination and lends me the language to express my visions and hopes for life, love, and growth. It provides sanctuary to which I can retreat when the chronic pain climbs past the impossible. Oh and if I’m not poeting here, I’m almost definitely poeting on Instagram, so definitely look for me in that space if you note my absence here!
I’m a mom to three kids, but in respect for their privacy and preference, I don’t post about them much anymore and if I do, it’s with their permission. But just on the record, so you know, I think they are WONDERFUL, and I love that I get to do this.
In the past year, we have become first time homeowners and made a garden and learned how to deal with lots of house stuff we’ve not experienced as renters and it’s been a beautiful period of growth and discovery and perplexity and surprise. It’s mostly a happy kind of exhausted but somehow the weekends got much shorter. Who knew the grass could grow tall so fast? We are learning and finding our rhythm.
Love,
Jamie Wright Bagley
(May 26th, 2019)
How You Can Reach Me
More Fun Facts About Me
1. Some folks think I’m quiet. Ahahaha! But really, quietness is a good thing and I do often lean into it but my laugh is as loud as they make them.
2. I write a lot of poetry. It’s kind of how I remind myself to breathe and hope, wonder and wander, and also how I rant. It’s a wonderfully human profession.
3. My favorite teas are: Ty-Phoo, Twinings Earl Grey, Trader Joe's Mint Melange, Irish Breakfast, and many variations of Spiced Chai. Oh, and Stash has a great Lemon Ginger!
4. When I was pregnant with my third child, my heart was medically stopped and restarted 3 times. My spirit left my body but I found my way back. Needless to say, it shook me up and gave me a different outlook on life; enough to change me and the way I live and approach spirituality. Everywhere is a thin place now.
5. I believe there is space for everyone and their religious and spiritual paths. You’ll occasionally find a dose of skepticism in my writing because I ask the questions; even when they ruin my ideals and ideas. It is good to expand both heart and horizon.
6. I sort of love my personality quirks. They lend meaning to my experiences. Here are just a few -
Enneagram: A very fluid 7 who gets stressed out frequently but knows how to retreat so you’ll find me slide whistling between 1 and 5 A LOT. Blessed are those who embrace the river, who find joy in adventure and movement.
One word: Beloved
Love Languages: Time, Touch, Tea, Thrift, Pie, Plants, Poetry, Pretty dresses
MBTI: INFJ one day, ENFP the next. It keeps me guessing, too. I don’t believe in the I/E binary, so I mostly just do this one for funsies.
Strengths: Futuristic, Strategic, Intellection, Ideation, Input
7. I’m a firm believer that nature has healing powers. The trees tell me their secrets. The flowers share their wisdom when I get close enough to hear them. The song of the woodthrush is a pain reliever. The testament of new life springing from the ground is a miracle at which I will never stop wondering.