
Letters From The Quiet Corner – Part 3
Hello,
It has been a little while since I last wrote. Not because I haven’t felt the need, but because so much has happened in such a short time that I’ve needed space to process. I believe this is important — to give ourselves time to pause, reflect, and consider how the events in our lives affect not only us but those around us. To step back, to breathe, and to allow ourselves to think about how we will respond.
The first thing I want to share is some joy — my beautiful nephew, Isaac-James, has been welcomed into the world. He is such a blessing, as all babies are. Tiny, innocent, full of potential, and already so loved. His name carries meaning, honouring both his uncle Nicki and my dad, and it feels like a circle of love that continues even in the face of loss.
The second change is closer to home. My oldest daughter not only passed all her A-levels with flying colours, but she has also been accepted into all of her university choices. She has chosen a wonderful university in London, and this weekend we will be taking her there to move in. Pride feels like too small a word for what fills my heart.
She has overcome so much: grief, bullying, assaults both physical and emotional — yet she has remained steadfast, clinging to her faith as her source of strength. She sacrificed the social life many teenagers enjoy so she could stay focused on her goals, and now she is stepping into a new chapter. She is resilient, compassionate, independent, and full of faith. As her mother, I am so proud.
And yet, as I celebrate her, I also feel sadness. The season of her dependence on me is ending. She is flying the nest, beginning her own journey. My heart aches at the thought, but it also overflows with joy and love. Love above all.
Still, even in this joy, there is a shadow. At the back of my mind is the constant thought: Nicki would be so proud of her. He would be cheering from the rooftops. His absence at these milestones is a wound that never truly heals. My heart feels broken, yet somehow those broken pieces are filled with love.
The third thing I’ve been processing is loss on a wider scale — the tragic passing of Charlie Kirk and Iryna Zarutska. I cannot begin to imagine the pain their families are enduring. I am not a political person, but to me the issue here is not politics. It is humanity. Compassion.
We do not all need to agree with one another — in fact, disagreement is part of what makes the world vibrant. But once we stop seeing those we disagree with as human, we begin to justify violence. And when violence comes, everyone loses. Iryna, like my brother, was failed by a system that ignored the warning signs of mental illness. Her family will carry that failure forever, just as we do.
So if there is one message I hope you take from this letter, it is this: life will always bring both good times and hard ones. It is how we respond to them that matters. And when it comes to violence, vitriol, or hatred — remember that the moment you dehumanise someone else, you lose your point.
At the end of the day, are we not all human?
With love & compassion,
Always,
Jamie x
Founder
Camrhisa Designs