giving the other side a voice

woman placing her finger between her lips
Photo by Kat Smith on Pexels.com

Some are silenced with a static sound

A snow screen for the ears to blank

The pain that needs to rush out in

An angry torrent to be heard

By a world that when we face the facts

Doesn’t listen to

Our whispered female voices.

I randomly picked a book by Rebecca Humphries called Why Did You Stay? I’m listening to it on Audible and I thought it would be interesting because it was about the Seann Walsh and Katya Jones scandal from the side of the jilted girlfriend.

For those who don’t know what this is, it was a very public relationship breakdown that happened because a celebrity and a pro dancer on Strictly Come Dancing were caught having an affair.

It blew up because the girlfriend of the celebrity released a statement that went viral, and now she has written a book. I wanted to listen to it because I’ve been cheated on, I understand that feeling of betrayal, and I have a bit of a sick need to hear from other people who have also been through it.

However, since selecting and starting that book, the boyfriend has appeared on I’m A Celebrity and we are hearing his side as he tells his campmates about it. I feel like I’m a child caught between two arguing parents as I watch him and then listen to her on my nightly runs.

I know that I shouldn’t really take sides but Rebecca seems so much more articulate (and innocent in the whole matter), so I am on Team Humphries. But it has made me realise how important it seems to be for people to scramble to tell their side of a story when something bad happens.

Someone once told me that whenever there is a falling out, there are three truths: one for each side and then the REAL truth. And that perfectly hits the nail on the head; we all bend the truth a bit, even if we don’t realise we’re doing it.

I just wish that Rebecca had a greater platform to share her story from. He cheated on her and yet he gets to go on one of the biggest TV shows to win over the public, while the jilted woman just gets a spot on one of the back tables in the local Waterstones.

Sounds about right.

Much Love

Rachel xx

celebrity break ups

cars parked on the side of the road
Photo by Roberto Nickson on Pexels.com

They come together in video shoots, wearing clothes

That show the midriff, and make up heavy blue,

Beautiful but far from natural, fans don’t want that now,

What they want is flashy love, a whirlwind hope

That this will work, when two pop stars collide.

They dance through time, cameras capturing their lives

That twist together, forming such a vital part

Of our psyche, of our culture. Songs and memes,

Will taint our world and soon we will rely

On knowing they are living in a blissful cloud

Somewhere on an LA hill, houses filled with pools

And cinemas and bowling alleys in the basement.

So when that Tweet or Insta post is sent out to the masses

Little parts of molten hearts, break away,

Splintering with sadness there’s no need to feel;

We don’t know them, though we feel we do,

And so there’s tears and breathless sobs

Until they sell that house and find a new

Partner for the Met Ball, someone for the scarlet carpets,

Passing one another like they’re strangers now.

It once was worth our sweetest thoughts,

The wish for marriage and for babies that will never come;

It’s sad. It hurts. But life just works that way,

Even if you have those millions in the bank,

You’re not exempt from pain to that extent.

Today Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello announced that they are splitting after two years together. I feel like I’m a bit old to appreciate their love, but their announcement did remind me of the sadness I felt when my favourite celebrities split.

I remember feeling particularly heartbroken when Britney and Justin split and it was equally as difficult to come to terms with Brad and Jen throwing in the towel.

I think that we feel the pain of these splits because we invest so heavily with our emotions. We want to see the relationships succeed because they seem so perfect – so if they can’t last, what hope do we have?

Much Love

Rachel xx