Grit, Humor, and the "Stickability" Spectrum: Comparing the Journey

 Dear Diary, 

It’s the final Wednesday of March, and I’m looking back at the books that have shaped my 'mending' journey lately. From the mud of 'Code Brown' to the 'Retreat Bubble' of Sophie Kinsella, and finally, the 'Stickability' of Matt Stabb. It’s amazing how three very different voices can all point to the same truth: how we handle the brick walls defines our path."

The SanctuaryNavigating the Mud

When I read Code Brown, I was struck by the raw grit of the farming world—the literal mud, the physical strain, and the relentless advocacy needed to keep things moving. But as I turned the pages of Matt Stabb’s biography, Keep on Keeping on I realized the "mud" looks different for everyone. 

For Matt, the mud was the four-year struggle to find the right home and the fight to prove he could manage his own bungalow. It’s the same kind of "Stickability." Whether you are navigating a farm or a system that underestimates your ability because of a diagnosis like Cerebral Palsy, the mission is the same: you don't let the "mud" stop you.

Both of these men show us that advocacy isn't always a loud protest; sometimes, it’s just the quiet, stubborn act of showing up and refusing to be moved until you get where you need to be.: Found Family vs. The Bubble

In Sophie Kinsella’s Love Your Life, we see a "Retreat Bubble"—a temporary sanctuary where support is easy because the "Real World" hasn't crashed in yet. But the real magic happened when Nell got sick; that mismatched group of friends became a Found Family. They didn't just offer sympathy; they offered presence.

Matt Stabb’s journey mirrors this, but in a much more grounded way. His sanctuary wasn't a bubble; it was his independence. He found that independence through a community of staff and family who did more than just "care" for him—they actually listened.

For those of us with CP or Endo, a sanctuary is only as strong as the people who stand in it with us. Whether it’s a group of friends in a novel or the staff in a bungalow, the common thread is Respect.

For me, there has been so much realisation that we do need to use our voices either for ourselves or the community of the disabled or marginalised in any way. This is why I am using this space as well as my books to educate and support others. The changes from the previous books I wrote—Questions, More Questions, The Monster Within, or the trilogy The Foundation Years—show that shift. We aren't just surviving the "Invisible Cage" anymore; we are using our voices to dismantle it for ourselves and for those coming after us.

❤