Decoding Static is home to the writing, art and photography of Andy Harrod. Including the Guardian First Book nominated tearing at thoughts.
Lins hosts a weekly column on being childfree at her website, Boo & Maddie. Today, I tell my story of being childless. I am nowhere close to saying I am childfree, for that has the connotation of choice, and the one thing about being childless is the choicelessness of it. But I am there saying […]
Continue Reading
On Thursday 19 September 2019 it is Men Matter Too day as part of World Childless Week 2019. I share my reflection on being on the Fullstop Podcast. Please do visit the honest, open and heartfelt stories at Men Matter Too. Thank you.
Continue Reading
It is World Childless Week this week and under the theme of Childlessness and the Arts I share a piece of art I have created that represents how my heart feels. The cracking and bruising is not only to the losses and grief of being childless not by choice, but also the masking of my […]
Continue Reading
It felt like I had to take part. And then I was floored as I was asked to say a little about myself. I’m childless, is there more? From (un)becoming an imposter I reached out and began the process of re-belonging, not only as a childless man, and as a part of a childless couple, […]
Continue Reading
The wearing of masks leaves scars. Scars, which I haven’t always allowed to heal. It is the daily picking of these scars, which, for me, defines being an imposter. The underlying uncomfortableness of inhabiting myself, physically, emotionally, mentally. At many times during my life so far, I have been disconnected, insecure and in conflict. Too […]
Continue Reading
As part of Burning House Press month of BELONGING/RETURNING/RETREATING curated by Rachael de Moravia my new writing and art, under there, somewhere, was included under the theme of (non)BELONGING. “A digital collage//textual hybrid exposition of distorted music, missed signals and unbelonging” Rachael de Moravia. ‘Drum sticks meet, guitars rev. On his knees wailing ‘Imagine your […]
Continue Reading
It is World Childless Week this week and today’s theme is Men Matter Too. I have shared a story of my grief, Dancing under Rainbows. ‘…The gate swings open, four small wheels roll along the path; a deafening war cry. His heart pounds. They knock…’ Childlessness is a grief that will never leave me, a […]
Continue Reading
I am late in sharing this, but Home (today), was published by Seethingography. Perhaps there are clues to my lateness in the poem. Do pop over and enjoy.
Continue Reading
We can’t escape our lives. During my invisible grief it can feel as if I am not living, that I am just stuck and my life is waiting to start again. Partly because the grief can be a knockout punch and partly because I am not honouring my grief or myself. Instead I try to […]
Continue Reading
It was as if life continued around me, around us, but we were stuck in this no-children land, as if we had slipped into another world, fading. Daily, it felt like a fight to be, it became automatic just to function. I dragged myself out running, for peace, for anger, for something to do, to […]
Continue Reading