Susan Stephens' Writing Diary

I had an interesting day away from the writing cave yesterday. I started off with a bridge lesson- mainly because the 3 girls I go away with each year all play, so it's up to me to catch up so we can have a game.

My mother ran her own bridge club and was something of an expert, so like most rebellious youngsters I refused to so much look at a pack of cards.
I have to say I'm really enjoying my lessons- an excellent teacher- thank you, Naomi, plus some extremely interesting and engaging new people

I then went on to a luncheon club where I started off as a speaker and now attend as a member to meet women of all ages and interests.
We sit in a different place each time in order to meet someone new and also to prevent cliques developing. A brilliant idea.
Our talk yesterday was given by a fascinating lady whose mother and grandmother had been hoarders. This enabled her to give us a fascinating insight into life in the nineteenth century, and she had brought many of the artefacts along for us to take a look at.... Fantastic. Thank you so much Mary Gibson- I could have listened to you talk for hours.

As always, chat on the table before and after Mary's talk turned to all manner of things, but the one subject that engaged us all was bullying.
One of the women- in her forties- was attending a psychotherapist in order to learn strategies to deal with bullying- not for her children, but for herself.
And according to the psychotherapist this is in no way unusual.

How many more of us are subjected to bullying in adulthood, I wonder.
Don't rise to the bait, and if possible remove yourself from the situation completely, was the professional advice, but that may not be possible for some of us.
I'd like to hear your thoughts on this, ladies, and any strategies you may have developed, or have thought of to deal with bullying- surely one of life's most distressing and debilitating problems.


Love to all, and happy reading everyone!
Susan