Nearly two years ago now I started this tiny little blog about my wedding. Some of you read it. Then not long after that, Aisling emailed me, and then sent me a guest post, and you loved it, so Aisling jumped on board this crazy train. We wrote. Not as regularly as we should have, and not everyday, but we wrote. And you guys liked it, and you put up with our impromptu posting and irregular scheduling. Mostly. And then a year ago Anna K joined us and we became the dream team because we not only wrote, but we had someone else who wrote AND is scary (lovely. but scary) and made sure we posted something everyday. With Anna we grew from strength to strength, and the three of us created the blog you are seeing today. We’ve all contributed in different ways, and that is what brings the diversity to this blog that makes it so unique.
You’ve probably noticed that one of us has been a bit quiet around here lately. We all still have other lives and jobs outside of the blog, so sometimes we need a break, whether it be because of family issues, health issues, or just a stupidly busy time at work. But this has obviously been a bit longer than a week or two, and is a bit more serious, and Anna and I have wanted to explain and to acknowledge it, but it’s not been our place to talk about it.
We are so pleased that Aisling has been able to write this for us. She is one of our best friends, an integral member of Team AOW, and we know so many of you have been worried about her.
Aisling, we’ve missed you…
Readers, you are wonderful. Did you know that?
I know it to be true because I have felt your warmth and your care and concern from afar these past few months and you should know that it has been appreciated, more than you can ever realise.
The simple version of my story is that I haven’t been well and I have struggled to come to terms with that. I am still struggling. My reaction, at the very worst time in my life, when I needed those who loved me around me, was to freeze them all out. I switched all the lights off and pretended no-one was home. I’m still doing that, to an extent, but I’m managing to switch more and more lights back on – even if it’s only a teeny bedside lamp at a time.
There’s never any valid reason to ignore the people who care for you – as my beautiful friends have pointed out several times recently, I’d go ballistic if any of them were in trouble and they wouldn’t let me try to help. And yet I did exactly that. I made them worry, I made them afraid and I made them sad. And I need to apologise.
I apologise to you, aforementioned lovely readers. I was lucky enough to count many of you as my friends and I am sorry that I did not treat you as such. I have missed you all and I am so very proud of the way you all continue to support and love and challenge AnyOtherWoman.
To my three musketeers – Abbie, Laura and Jen. Without you, I wouldn’t even have switched the first light on. Simples. Thank you for fighting for me, for breaking down my front door at stupid o’clock on a Saturday morning and for welcoming me back with open arms. I loves you.
Clare and Anna…I am in awe of you both and don’t think there will ever be a time when I am not intimidated by your fabulousness. But thanks to you, I am slowly realising that I was pretty fabulous once, too, and that I can be again. That’s no mean feat and I am forever grateful to be able to count you two amongst my best friends. What you have done for AnyOtherWoman, for our readers and for each other, is nothing short of remarkable. Love you both, K and C xx
All this, readers, to say that I apologise for disappearing so wholly from the radar. I am still not ‘back’, I need some more time. But I can now hope to be back, I can hope to catch up with you all soon. I hope that you’re all well, that life is good and that you’re happy and healthy. See you in a wee while…
Aisling xx
52 Comments
Aisling, I have missed your face. There’s no past tense about it…you are fabulous x
You ARE fabulous, everyone walks through darkness sometimes, and you can only cope in your own way, but none of it diminishes what you are. Sending you all the love. All of it.
K x
I have to say I was worried these past weeks- it is lovely to hear from you.
I am so sorry you have been having such a bad time – stay well, get lots of rest and I am sure you will go from switching on a bedside lamp to illuminating a giant disco ball before too much time has passed.
So nice to hear from you, lovely Aisling. We miss you too xxx
Friendship is about giving people that time, that space, and that understanding. This was so beautifully written and it is so incredible to hear from you again. I am so happy that hope is back – that wee glimmer of hope is the first of many steps, steps I know this entire fabulous community will be with you on. Whether it’s a few weeks, a few months, or longer, know that my love and friendship is with you throughout x
Oh Aisling, I’d noticed that you’d not been on here but didn’t want to pry. Hope you feel better soon and look forward to seeing you back on these peach n grey pages.
Lots of love, xoxo
Lovely to see you back on here, I noticed you hadn’t been around but didn’t want to pry. I hope you’re well on the way to feeling like yourself again x
Aisling I hope you can use AOW to help you get those lights back on – every single one of your readers is a little fairy light, and though we might not shed much light individually, together we create a great big string (usually a great big tangled mess), can light up the room and are rooting for you.
The fact that you have felt able to talk about it is huge, and I hope your progress continues
L x
Everything that Laura said and a big massive *hug*!
You’re never alone, there are always people who will fight with you. xx
I love the thought of us all being tiny fairy lights, coming together to make a bright light
xxx
*twinkles*
*twinkles*
*twinkles*
Oh Aisling, I’d noticed your absence but didn’t want to pry. Hope you feel better soon and look forward to your return on these peach n grey pages.
xoxo
We all know you are brilliant, and warm, and loving and hilarious….its not always possible to see it in yourself in the same way though, I know. Gahhhhh. Maybe we can we reflect it back at you so you can feel it? Like sunshine?
So good to hear from you. Take care and take your time. we aren’t going anywhere.
Px
Like a Care Bear Stare??
This needs a ‘like’ button.
It needs a LOVE button. Your community are sunshine and twinkly fairy lights for you, Aisling. Hope it helps, even a tiny bit.
K x
Aisling you are so completely brilliantly wonderful. I know this to be true and count you as one of my friends despite us never having met in person before. I guessed that things have been hard for you and that you were struggling and have been thinking of you and hoping so much that you were OK. SO pleased you’ve written this, then we the AOW readership can tell you how much we love you…which is loads and loads! Can’t wait to see you again in a wee while then, your writing is extraordinary, so funny and so unique. I miss your posts about dresses, I miss your incredible enthusiasm and I miss our shared perving over Samuel West with Emma. But all this and more can start again when you’re ready.
fxxxxx
We’ve all missed you, but so pleased that you will be back with us someday (soon I hope!). There’s no doubt that however long it takes you the AOW community will be here waiting with open arms. Think of us as your little team of cheerleaders – obviously Penny will be the one shouting at us until we get our formations just so… That’s unless Anna K gets there first that is!
xx
*wrestles Anna K for megaphone*
Funny you should say that Hollie. The GIAT foursome that is Anna, Lucy, Aisling and myself have many a time offered our support to one another in the form of cheerleading. We even designed our uniforms. Mine had extra room at the front for the bump.
Somewhere along the way we also set up the GIAT marching band – Anna was obviously on that big huge drum that tells everyone when to do things. Emmi is on percussion. We feel the outfits may suit us more.
So A, here we are, instruments at the ready. I am on that big horn that toots (yes, that is a technical term), and Lucy is waving the flag with all her might. We will not stop marching until you’re better again.
Xx
hahahahaha WHAT an image! amazing, you guys, amazing.
I have been waving for ages and I show no sign of stopping. Also…it is a mighty mighty flag. It has lights on it so you can even see it in the dark. For realz.
Dear Aisling, thank you for popping in to say hello. You have been missed & much thought about. You go getting yourself stronger for you, then we’ll look forward to regularly seeing you again here. Some things in our lives aren’t for sharing on the wonderful world wide web so see you when you’re ready xrachel
Oh Aisling, I’m so sorry to hear that things have been tough for you. But it’s lovely to see you back on here, and we’ll all be cheering you on and waiting for you to be ready to come back. And you are fabulous, you really are. Lots of love xxx
I’m not going to wear my sequinned frock until you’re well again. There can be no greater sacrifice.
Good to hear from you, A x
You have been very missed my lovely – but thank you for taking the time to come say hello. We will all be here with massive hugs and portions of cake when you are ready to come back xxx
Wanted to also reiterate that you too are fabulous! Take all the time you need and get well soon xxx
Hope you feel much better very soon!
*dons fairy light encrusted cheerleader outfit*
xxx
I enjoy reading AOW so much and this post embodies all the reasons why. Anna is busy moving, Clare is busy being Mumma in another country but still, you rally for Aisling, who I have also, like many others, missed in recent weeks.
Unlike some blogs, which do not show such care, this blog demonstrates all that is great to be a woman. We rally together, form suport groups for our sisters, have fun, have serious talks about all sorts of things and most of all inspire each other to be better a day at a time.
Wonderful stuff.
Aisling, you’re lovely. Get well in your own time. We’re waiting for you…….yes. that’s us….the light at the end of the tunnel.
Aisling, really good to hear from you and I’m so sorry you’ve had such a difficult time. The lights starting to come on again is a huge step forward and I hope it will get easier now. I’m also fairly sure that fabulousness is for life so you definitely don’t need to worry about that! Emily x
A, you are loved and missed and loved some more. Take all the time you need for yourself. Your friends will always be here. x
Another one who’d noticed your absence Aisling and was thinking of you, and will continue to do so.
xx
Just adding my voice to the rest – you’re definitely missed Aisling and I too had noticed your absence. Sending lots of gentle hugs and looking forward to seeing you back (when you’re ready) xx
I’m lost for words, you guys. You big bunch of tangly, twinkly, cheerleading, triangle-playing AMAZING people.
Thank you, so much.
x
A, you’re a div. A great big lovable div. We aren’t going anywhere.
K x
So lovely to read this and to know that you’re improving. I hope that all of the amazing messages on here go someway to turning those lights back on.
Sending big hugs X
Ditto what everyone else has said. You ARE fabulous Aisling and you’ve been missed. Sending you lots of twinkles and light. xx
I echo the others wholeheartedly and I want to wish you all the best and hope those lights are a la Blackpool for you soon.
**twinkles**
Have missed your posts, so lovely to read your words again. Sending you love and fairy lights. *waves pom poms. Love Sharon x
I’m twinkling for you too A… This too will pass xx
I don’t comment here much but I read regularly and I too had missed you. I hope things get better for you soon and hopefully all the love on here will help with that. *waves fairylight torch*
I did also wonder where you had gone to but again didn’t want to bring it up for fear of seeing like a nosy so and so.
It’s lovely to hear from you and I hope you are back soon, I don’t comment often but I read and check in weekly if not daily. It’s lovely seeing all the fab people here wishing you well, you are much loved.
I hope whatever it is you feel better soon and that your lights keep coming back on, even just a bedside lamp at a time
xx
We’ll be here, Aisling xxx
Oh Aisling – I don’t think you know me as, although I devour these pages daily, I can rarely comment as I am usually at work (as I am sure is the case for so many others, but I am SURE that they agree) but I really wanted to add to this as I feel that I know you…
I had also noticed you weren’t around and was a bit concerned. Thank you for giving us that little finger wave to let us know that, although you’re not quite back to wonderful yet, you are OK and you’re getting there.
Take your time, love.
I hope that you know that you have the support of a fantastic network of wonderful women who are sending you huge bucketfuls of love to get you through…
and then we’ll all do a massive Mexican wave to celebrate – cheerleader outfits, twinkliness and all!
xxx
Very late in actually sitting done to read this but just had to comment and say Aisling I’ve missed your face! Sorry to hear that things have been bad for you, I had noticed your were very quiet one here but also didn’t want to pry. Much love to you x
*down, stupid iPhone!
Get well soon flower, you remain incredibly fabulous in my eyes. x
Hope you feel better soon. You’re very much loved as these comments clearly demonstrate. Take your time and be kind to yourself x x
Been away, and catching up with my AOW reading.
Oh Aisling, so sorry to hear you have not been well. Take care of yourself. We all love you.
xx
So glad to hear from you Aisling, you can see above how much you’ve been missed and we’re all so happy you are starting to feel better! Sorry you’ve had/are having such a rough time lately, lots of big hugs!!! xxx
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