Gertrude Lorimer's Commonplace Book

I remember seeing Phyllis’s frail state right before she died. I was cursed with tremendous amounts of remorse, and lots of regret, for there was not anything I could’ve done to heal her. In her last days, I decided to sew much more frequently. The last project I was working on was a nice warm blanket for Phyllis. She was always shivering at the peak of her sickness, and I wanted to do all I could to make her feel better, even though we all knew where her fate lay. I have held on to a small patch from when I sewed the blanket because it is too painful for me to hold the entire blanket she…

My favorite quote is by Henry David Thoreau “there is no remedy for love but to love more”. I have it sitting by my bathroom sink so I can remind myself of this each morning. I truly struggled with the concept of love. I had always been so afraid of falling in love, as a way to protect myself. It took time, but I am now so blessed to be with the love of my life, Lord Watergate. At first, I stopped myself from falling too hard. I pushed him away as a way to protect myself. My anxiety prevented me from feeling worthy of his love. Before we got married, his presence provided me with hope, and…

I have felt the pain of not feeling good enough, yet God will never stop loving me regardless of these things. Romans 2:2 is a bible verse I repeat often to myself. I find comfort in understanding that I am stronger than my insecurities. In reminding myself that I “do not conform to the pattern of this world” I keep myself from sinning. The idea of being a Victorian woman in this era comes with standing-down and being expected to not take action. When my father passed away, I knew me and my sisters could not let ourselves fall into poverty. I suggested the idea of a photography business…