Naomi Whittingham

A life Hidden On Gratitude and Grief A beautifully written blog post with poem by Naomi Whittingham who has suffered from ME since 1990 "The ability to balance great sorrow alongside genuine joy, while not allowing one to overwhelm the other, is perhaps one of the most important learnings of being human."

"On Gratitude and Grief" by Naomi Whittingham @naomiwhitt.bsky.social (A Life Hidden)

alifehidden.com/2025/10/20/g...

Screenshot from latest Science for ME weekly update

#SevereME #MEcfs #chronicillness #Spoonie #CFS #PwME

Thank you Robert.

On Gratitude and Grief Through many years living with severe illness, I’ve come to know a lot about emotions.  From the sorrow and regret of a life lived so differently to anything that might have been chosen; to th…

“Grief sits heavily indeed when it must be stared full in the face, day after day. But joy, conversely, soars high in a life stripped bare. How intense is the beauty of the sky or a spring flower when days are bleak.”

Another beautifully written blog by @naomiwhitt.bsky.social

On Gratitude and Grief Through many years living with severe illness, I’ve come to know a lot about emotions.  From the sorrow and regret of a life lived so differently to anything that might have been chosen; to th…

My new blog post on gratitude, grief - and the challenge of finding balance between the two. Although this is written from the perspective of living with long-term illness, I hope it will resonate with people in many different life situations.
🧵(1/5)
alifehidden.com/2025/10/20/g...

I really appreciate your updates. Thank you so much!

The ability to balance great sorrow alongside genuine joy, while not allowing one to overwhelm the other, is perhaps one of the most important learnings of being human.
(5/5)

Grief sits heavily indeed when it must be stared full in the face, day after day. But joy, conversely, soars high in a life stripped bare. How intense is the beauty of the sky or a spring flower when days are bleak.
(4/5)

There is a strong societal expectation that any hardship in life must be overcome. We speak of illness as a battle, with winners and losers; of grief as a temporary state from which we must move on. In reality life’s greatest challenges shape us forever.
(3/5)

It’s possible to be full of gratitude for the small treasures in my life, and full of sorrow that I need to be. I can feel dizzy with joy at the rediscovery of a simple ability, and raw with regret at all I’ve missed out on. It doesn’t have to be one or the other.
(2/5)

On Gratitude and Grief Through many years living with severe illness, I’ve come to know a lot about emotions.  From the sorrow and regret of a life lived so differently to anything that might have been chosen; to th…

My new blog post on gratitude, grief - and the challenge of finding balance between the two. Although this is written from the perspective of living with long-term illness, I hope it will resonate with people in many different life situations.
🧵(1/5)
alifehidden.com/2025/10/20/g...

Glimpsing the World: My Joy and Pain Posted on 26th July 2019by Naomi Whittingham A rocky shoreline, with waves gently breaking on wet sandThere is an indescribable joy in experiencing the outside world after many months or years of incarceration. The dance of sunlight through the leaves of trees; the flicker of shadows on grass; the touch of a gentle breeze. When darkness and isolation have been the foundation of life, these simple experiences are cherished. There can even be beauty in less obvious places: I have felt wonder on seeing things like traffic lights and motorway signs. To the housebound eye, these sights are the pulse of a living, active world. As such, my heart seizes them.

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"Glimpsing the World: My Joy and Pain" (2019) by Naomi Whittingham @naomiwhitt.bsky.social , who has had #severeME for decades

alifehidden.com/2019/07/26/g...

#MyalgicEncephalomyelitis #ChronicFatigueSyndrome #MEcfs #CFS #PwME

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The Trouble With Recovery Stories Posted on 5th Nov 2024 Photo of somebody up a tall mountain near the edge

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"The Trouble With Recovery Stories" by Naomi Whittingham @naomiwhitt.bsky.social (with severe ME for decades)

alifehidden.com/2024/11/05/r...

An excellent, articulate article discussing “Recovery Stories” and the complex impressions and impacts they bring about

#MEcfs #CFS #PwME

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Thank you to @thesicktimes.org for giving me the opportunity to share Kara’s story with a new audience. Do take a moment to learn about her and discover her beautiful music.

Thank you Tony!

Courage Exists in the Darkest of Places Today I updated my In Memoriam page, commemorating two friends who have died in the past nine months.  It’s a page I always update with reluctance: my heart is heavy and I struggle to find words.  …

As we approach #MEAwarenessWeek, a piece recognising the courage that exists in our community.

It acknowledges those who have lost their lives, those who have not improved, and those who’ve experienced progress - along with the loved ones who witness it all.
alifehidden.com/2025/05/07/c...
(1/7)

💜

Courage exists in the darkest of places: this is something that deserves to be known. (7/7)

“Celebrating someone’s courage should never be seen as consolation for the suffering that demanded its existence in the first place. It’s possible to acknowledge extraordinary fortitude, while simultaneously railing against the fact that it was ever necessary.” (6/7)

“I’m particularly struck by the bravery shown by the parents of the friends I’ve lost. Their ability to face life after experiencing unimaginable loss is humbling. The strength of their children truly lives on in them.” (5/7)

“I also acknowledge those of us who have seen improvements, but who now face the complexity of improvement after a lifetime of illness. It takes courage to endure lengthy suffering; but it takes courage to allow hope and joy back in when, unexpectedly, they reappear.” (4/7)

“In addition to my friends who have lost their lives, I recognise those who have known often decades of intense suffering. There is such brightness of spirit among my many friends who never even see the sunlight.” (3/7)

“Emily, Merryn, Alley, Anna, Kara, SJ and Sharon were handed lives of extreme pain and hardship, and responded with a strength that almost defies comprehension. They wrung moments of promise from the bleakest of days, and lived as the very definition of courage.” (2/7)

Courage Exists in the Darkest of Places Today I updated my In Memoriam page, commemorating two friends who have died in the past nine months.  It’s a page I always update with reluctance: my heart is heavy and I struggle to find words.  …

As we approach #MEAwarenessWeek, a piece recognising the courage that exists in our community.

It acknowledges those who have lost their lives, those who have not improved, and those who’ve experienced progress - along with the loved ones who witness it all.
alifehidden.com/2025/05/07/c...
(1/7)

“I find it helpful to think in terms of seasons. To see myself as part of the cycle of nature as it moves between darkness & light; dormancy & growth.
The blackest night does not preclude the onset of dawn; the most bitter winter contains the seed of spring. All are part of the same whole.” (4/4)

“My life is mixture of loss and sorrow; of happiness and fulfilment. Of overwhelming restriction, and of important gains within those parameters. I feel gratitude and I feel anger. I have hope and I am afraid. I am in multiple places all at once.” (3/4)

“The division between December & January is artificial: there is no junction at the year's end on which fortune hinges; no window of transformation, either for good or ill. Instead, within each day lies the complex spectrum of human experience, with its potential for both darkness and light.” (2/4)

Is There Hope in a New Year? Life has made me wary of looking too far ahead.  Even before the turmoil of 2020, my road was one of uncertainty.  New Year has long felt like standing on a cliff edge and looking down: t…

I seem to have gained a number of followers here, despite having posted virtually nothing! Thank you to everyone who has followed me - I hope to be more active in 2025.

I begin by sharing a post on New Year that I wrote a few years ago. (1/4)

And one that reverberates down the ages. There are those of us who will never accept that 1993 Christmas chart. Mr Blobby! I ask you.

Compassionate and balanced. An excellent piece.