18 Comments
May 28·edited May 28Liked by Camille Dawnier

This is such a beautiful extended metaphor! Amazing piece

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Thank you Ana! Metaphors are my love langage. A golden key to how I choose to enter existence.

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I had no idea where this would take me. Enjoyed the read and in particular the parallel to food, cooking and being the chef of our lives. Rich imagery and metaphors I can relate to. Now I need some restaurant recommendations too from you!

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I am delighted you asked because I am about to release a real monthly flavours-of-life recipe. Subscribe if you haven't yet so you don't miss it!

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Great! Can’t wait to read it! Feel free to tag me when it is out. Thx

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“The hard bits—those gristle-packed moments of pain and failure—you throw them into the pot. You let them stew until they are soft enough to swallow, seasoned with the grit of your perseverance.”

This was a beautiful essay, certainly nourishing for my soul, in times of bitterness and poison too difficult too swallow all at once. Thank you for the reminder that even the pain can be cooked long enough until it becomes a soft thing, more digestible.

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Thank you for your sweet (non-sugar-coated) words Laura. I want to point out that poison will always be poison and no alchemy can turn that into something undeadly. The same goes for toxicity. No amount of cooking can protect you from how sick it will leave you.

Take care and savour everything else!

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What beautiful words to receive from a stranger / fellow writer / on the internet. Thank you. 🙏🏻

“I want to point out that poison will always be poison and no alchemy can turn that into something undeadly. The same goes for toxicity. No amount of cooking can protect you from how sick it will leave you.”

You’re dead right. I’m removing myself from poisonous environments, and picking deadly thorns out still from all of my organs. Finding safer, healthier soil for my plant to grow. It’s exhausting work, but my survival depends on it.

May I ask - where in the world are you writing from? Substack, with its hosting of the fellow artists, writers, renegades I’m discovering are rendering this space my favourite corner of the internet. I keep discovering such wonderful talent, and hearts like mine. It’s such a relief.

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This endeavor seems like a tiring self-performed excavation—I send you courage, and all the light I can ship through words: I am writing from the French Riviera. I am glad the internet made us closer.

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I used to live there. How beautiful. Enchanté 🌝

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I love this piece. I am going to read more of your work. Keep writing and keep building the life of your dreams. It is possible. I have the bandaids on my fingers to prove it. But the meal is delicious and nutritious. Thank you for sharing, Camille!

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Thank you for this hope-infused testimony April! I am glad the table of life serves you well.

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I completely agree here. To build off your metaphor, life is sometimes bitter sometimes sweet; we need to accept the balance of both to enjoy the other!

Good thing I voted for you to post of this one of you here unfinished drafts! It’s well worth it!

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You are right Bethel it is all about balance! I am definitely rooting for flavour combos.

P.S.—A little secret: the other one you voted for will be released next week!

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I’ll be expecting it!

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May 28Liked by Camille Dawnier

Camille that was a phenomenal piece of writing. I feel like I’m witnessing the birth of a famous writer. I was taken on a crazy journey through ups and downs, twists and turns only to be left breathless and satisfied. Thank you for sharing your gifts with us all.

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Wow Lewis, thank you and may you be prophetic—I will gift you all my books until the end of times!

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