65 Comments
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Jenn's avatar

This is so beautiful Joyce! I love seeing our words and thoughts come together. And though they were written separately, they are in perfect harmony. Thank you, my friend!

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Joyce's avatar

It really is, isn’t it. Another wonderful collaboration 💙🙏💫

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Jenn's avatar

It turned out beautifully !

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Joyce's avatar

It most certainly did 💙🙏💫

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Joan Stommen's avatar

Dear Jenn and Joyce… I love your collaboration here! Especially as you didn’t plan it to mesh so beautifully. And the sketch is perfect, Jenn…sometime simple speaks the loudest! It says love and comfort, safe and secure, and all that our hearts hold from memories! ❤️🤗Much love to you both!

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Jenn's avatar

You have summed up home wonderfully and thoughtfully. Love, comfort, security, memory ❤️. Thank you, Joan, I appreciate you for reading and leaving us such kind words!

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Joyce's avatar

Thank you so much for your kind words, Joan. So right, simple speaks the loudest 💙💫

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Jenn's avatar

Aww, Deb! ❤️ Home is the place that can offer us solace and healing when we are falling apart, it can nourish us while we rebuild and strengthen our hearts. Thank you for reading our post!

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just mud by Ron's avatar

Love how you turn anatomical space into the most precious of embaces!

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Jenn's avatar

Thank you, that is the most wonderful way of putting it. Thanks so much ❤️

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Joyce's avatar

Why thank you for your kind words 💙💫

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Dawud Marsh's avatar

Beautifully written and such wonderful artwork. Both compliment each other in their intricately woven observations and rhythms that brought to me my own recent memories of what is home after having to leave what was our home when we were urgently evacuated and lived in a hotel for 6 months and then temporary accommodation before finally settling where we are now - which is definitely home. Thank you both for this wonderful collaboration.

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Joyce's avatar

Oh Dawud, I’m so sorry for you all. What a harrowing experience that must have been. I hope this new place will continue to be home for a long time to come 🙏 Inshallah.

Thank you for sharing this 💙🙏

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Dawud Marsh's avatar

InshaAllah 🙏🏼

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Dawud Marsh's avatar

Thank you both for your kind words. It was a deeply traumatic experience made all the worse by how the housing association treating us all - 120 flats had to be emptied within a matter of days. Living in a hotel reinforces the need for the security of a roof over your head. We were never homeless but without knowing how long we were going to stay and when in temporary accommodation how long it would be for left us struggling emotionally and trying to reassure our boys it will be ok. Many residents in the block were vulnerable people with illnesses and disabilities and moving was not easy. We helped as many as we could and I was part of the residents association that we set up to tackle the ruthlessly cruel attitude of the landlord. But now we can finally feel settled. When it came to mediation for compensation I was traumatised again and seeing how our friends and neighbours had deteriorated just brought home the shear horror of what we went through. It is a side effect of living in social housing here in the UK - you are not treated as a person but as a means for profit for so called charities who run housing associations. Sorry, but if a ramble and apologies for throwing such a dark shadow over both of your beautiful collaboration. It shows how deep the trauma is if something that explores what home means and is can bring it back to the surface again so quickly.

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Joyce's avatar

Oh please Dawud, there is absolutely no need to apologise. Better to let off steam than bottling it all up. You and your family need healing and keeping all that horror you went through inside is not going to help the healing process.

Please take care 🙏💙

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Dawud Marsh's avatar

Thank you so much ☺️

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Jenn's avatar

Oh no, please don’t apologize; it is a horrible thing you went through and the “home scars” are still healing.

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Jenn's avatar

That is a terrible thing to be ripped from all that is familiar and comforting in a space you called home. What a journey, and I’m so glad you feel yourself at home again! Thank you so much.

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Deborah Brasket's avatar

Lovely thoughts. Home is an idea of the heart and can be found anywhere, a boat, an RV, a garden. But mostly it's found within.

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Jenn's avatar

That’s so beautiful, thank you, and thank you for checking out our post.

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Joyce's avatar

Thank you, Deborah. Home can be anything, though within the heart is the best place 💙💫

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Carina Malatesta's avatar

🤗

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Joyce's avatar

Big hugs Carina 💙💫🤗🥰

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Jenn's avatar

❤️❤️❤️

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Rolando Andrade's avatar

Wonderful nd beautiful connection

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Joyce's avatar

Thank you, Rolando 💙💫

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Jenn's avatar

Thank you so much, Rolando!

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Chris J. Franklin's avatar

That is absolutely wonderful. And, as always, the artwork and words fit together perfectly. Scents are such a powerful thing and it is incredible how they can trigger those memories of home, and can be a huge comfort, especially when you're miles away from where you want to be and the people you long to be with... 😎

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Joyce's avatar

Thank you so much, Chris, for your kind words 💙💫

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Jenn's avatar

Scents really are so powerful! Your comment says it perfectly. Thank you for leaving us these beautiful words and kind comments! ❤️

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C.J. Heck's avatar

You both did a beautiful job. What a pleasure it is to read your words and see the artwork! Thank you both for sharing.

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Jenn's avatar

Thank you, C.J., for the lovely comment. I am so pleased you enjoyed our post!

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C.J. Heck's avatar

You’re very welcome.

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Joyce's avatar

Thank you so much for your kind words, CJ. Jenn and I always enjoy working together, but this time it was more than special. 💙🙏💫

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C.J. Heck's avatar

You’re very welcome!

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Deborah T. Hewitt's avatar

So lovely to wake up to! You are both so talented ❤️ and I love how you both blended seamlessly together ✨

My favorite topic and first piece I wrote for an online magazine was called Finding Home and this reminded me of that sweet moment when I was completely (utterly) falling apart and a friend asked me to submit something. I drew back to "home." 😭😭

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Joyce's avatar

Home is that one place where you’re able to unload and be your inner child. It means so much more than just that one word. 💙🙏💫

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Deborah T. Hewitt's avatar

It truly does mean so, so much ❤️

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Joyce's avatar

Absolutely 💙

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Paul McCutchen's avatar

Home for me is peace. Growing up on a farm in Arkansas meant quiet early mornings. When the tractors were headed to the fields, home was still left with a since of peace.

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Jenn's avatar

That sounds absolutely lovely, Paul. Thanks for sharing this peaceful story of home and nostalgia!

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Joyce's avatar

Thank you, Paul. When the heart is at peace, such as you experienced early mornings, you are home 💙🙏💫

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Jamie Millard's avatar

Home is where the heart is! Beautiful words and heArt!🙏❤️

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Jenn's avatar

Good morning, Jamie! Home is where the heArt is for sure. Thank you so much, I appreciate you!

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Joyce's avatar

Absolutely, Jamie. Thank you so much 💙🙏💫

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Richbee's avatar

Sense of smell saturates the air. To know you are home with the fragrance of fresh baked bread that welcomes you to enter and enjoy the repast, feast ; belong to a family with heart felt love all under a delta roof that holds the house, protects the residence from harm.

The collaboration of two becomes many thoughts well placed as in a nest to hold in hand the dear hearts beat in rhythm.

Good morning. Joyce and Jenn you have made a home sweet home. Thanks for sharing .

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Jenn's avatar

Thank you for the kindness in this warm and cozy response to our post! And thank you for subscribing to my scribbles and sketches, too!

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Joyce's avatar

Thank you so much, Richard 💙💫

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Richbee's avatar

I just subscribed to Jenn’s sub stack.

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Joyce's avatar

Thank you, Richard 💙💫

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Writer Pilgrim by So Elite's avatar

I love the sentiment, the repetition and the play between story and poetry genres. I struggled with the bold font... I adore the picture and it's simple lines which are so detailed and so real. Wonderful piece.

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Jenn's avatar

Thank you, Writer Pilgrim! What kind praise you’ve left for us, I’m so glad you enjoyed our post.

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Joyce's avatar

You were right, I edited the Bold script.

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Joyce's avatar

Thank you, Pilgrim 💙💫

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Nat Heath's avatar

Beautiful writing Joyce. Thank you. This was so nice to wake up to! 🙏🏼

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Joyce's avatar

Thank you, Nat. But remember the text is by Jenn and me. Another wonderful collaboration 💙🙏💫

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Jenn's avatar

Thanks so much, Joyce and Nat!

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Dwina Murphy-Gibb's avatar

Beautiful description of Home and I admire the drawing of the hand... hands are difficult to draw well! Thank you. ***

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Jenn's avatar

Thank you very much, Dwina for the kind compliments on our words and art!! We enjoyed the collaboration and I’m so glad you did, too.

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