I launched my very first children’s story book today called ‘Madhead The Crazy Horse’!
I was very proud of this story, because it contained real life elements of my life with my children and my family and friends and our animals.
Animals who are not so easy to tame. Who need kindness and a firm and reassuring voice.
Animals who are always there for us, waiting to receive that reassuring pat or hug and waiting to reassure us with a nudge of their nose or a wag of their tail. They can teach us so much!
I hosted the launch in Broadmeadows Stables, where my children and their friends spend their days tending their beautiful horses.
They care for these animals with such skill, who give them so much comfort and confidence.
They learn to be strong.
In relation to my book, I linked my charity of choice, a wonderful cause, to The Dyspraxia Assoc. of Ireland. I wanted to spread awareness to this unknown Disability. That in our days, the children were called ‘Slow’. They just couldn’t keep up with the ‘normal’ kids. They were hard to teach and often put down to the back of the class.
On the discovery that my last child had quite a severe Dyspraxia, I was quite devastated. And shocked. And worried. Like any other loving parent.
With the help and support of other parents to encourage and comfort me and also the resources to physically help me and my child, I soon learned that we would be OK. That my child could perform in life.
Over whelmed with pride and joy, I wanted to share this news with everybody in Ireland. I wanted to shout out, ‘Hey! This is a wonderful, kind World we live in! Look what we can do to help! We can educate all of our children with individual needs! They have the ability to be educated! And we also have that ability to educate!’
And today, my beautiful friends and family came to support me and my quest. And they had their own sadness and illness and difficulties to face. Yet, they came to me.
To unite in our quest of humanity. To genuinely support. To comfort our pain, not our beauty.
To love our joy through their sadness.
Through their loss.
What wonderful people.
Real people.
With warmth.
I am humbled at such loyalty.
Jean xx