From the heart

A challenge has been thrown open to me.

On Friday 8th August I went to see Blanche d'Alpuget in conversation with Hilary Harper as part of the Writers in Action group at the BWF.

They talked. I listened. Quite comfortably - in fact, even though I am a diligent student and like to take notes, I felt that there was no need. That is until Blanche said that what we should all take from novels is knowledge of the human heart. Wow. True. What a beautiful thing to say. I had to write it down.

No sooner had I finished scribbling when I heard her follow up, saying that
no psychological text or self-help book could do that.

! ? Really?

I quickly wrote that sentence down too - Blanche had hit a nerve.

I proudly write non-fiction. What I write comes about from exploring the heart and what it is to be human. My blog Seeker & Sage is testament to that. There is nothing fictitious about it. It is all real and raw. I share my experiences of longing and despair - what it is to be human - with integrity and sincerity. I do it for me, but I also do it for you - and for the greater good.

And the knowledge I have gained of the human heart so far, has come from non-fiction sources. I have read hundreds of wisdom literature books written by psychologists, Buddhists, spiritual teachers and numerous self-help sages, and I can honestly say that what they have shared and how they have shared it has helped me look into and open my heart.

But the challenge remains - I still feel stirred up when I remember Blanche's declaration. So, I vow  to prove Blanche wrong by continuing to write what I write and to write it from my heart.