Morning Pages | 5 August 2025

I was away to Islay on masonic business at the weekend. That meant a recovery day on Sunday and then, unfortunately, a headache day on Monday. I'm just getting back on track today. I started out by reading a few excellent essays from my inbox, then a chapter of the Brothers Karamazov. That book is helping me to deal with life in quite a profound way that I didn't see coming. It's a beautiful thing.

The Islay trip gave me lots to think about. It feels like we're approaching another turning point in our lives with a house move pending to another country and I'm having to give up more than I thought. That's what came up in this morning's pages.

Essays I read and recommend

• A Shell in the Shape of a Boy, Matthew Long
• Studio Goodbye, Studio Hello, Craig Mod
• An Interview on Calling with Nadya Williams, Karen Swallow Prior
• Wrong Country, Chapter VIII, Larisa Rimerman

I've been in a low mood a lot of late and that usually leads to my deleting essays unread out my inbox. This morning's selection was helpful in various ways and I'm glad not to have deleted them. Craig Mod's writing always inspires me, and this essay was no different. If I was going to recommend just one essay out of the four listed above, it would be Craig's.