“At times, our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.” – Albert Schweitzer
Since I finished writing the blog I have not felt inspired to put pen to paper or finger to keyboard until now. In mid 2018 my dear friend Sinéad Mannion set up her publishing company Plasma Publishing to publish a beautiful book of essays written by her late brother Gearóid. After completing that task she announced to me she was now setting about publishing my blog so to go and “get my act together”!
After much humming and hawing and thinking who am I to write a book, I finally got my “act together” and set in train the work involved in making the blog into a book and printing it.
It all came to fruition yesterday 15 June when we launched “Against The Wind from Endurance to Enjoyment”.
The 2670 km cycle brought me face to face with profound loneliness and what is means to try to fit in as a way to belong.
The writing of the blog helped me make sense of the cycle.
And now the book has brought me into the experience of support and belonging. Whereas the cycle was done on my own, the book has been a community effort.
The people who made it possible are: Sinéad Mannion the publisher; Úna McKeever did the first edit in order to turn the blog into book form; Philip Darling supportively and beautifully designed the layout; Sadhbh O’Neill painted the stunning covers and front and back insets; Barbara Egan wrote the most warm hearted and elegant Foreword; Geraldine Fitzpatrick did the final edit and Clodoiri Printers produced what is a beautifully textured book: Karen Mannion MC for the launch and Aileen Foran who gave us the beautiful venue and organised the lovely food. If these where the ingredients that made the book happen Manchán Magan was the icing on the cake as he launched it.
Words cannot portray the level of gratitude I felt throughout the launch. At times I truly felt overwhelmed with the warmth and love I experienced for me and the book. Talk about turning what originally was a devastating experience prior to the cycle into the most amazing experience of my life.
And now I want to extend a huge Thank You to all of you who read and commented on the blog.
The book is available on my website www.embodiedbrain.ie https://embodiedbrain.ie/against-the-wind/