About last week - Writing my book 13/03/2024
Recently, I had the pleasure of catching up with some friends at a local café, where we went into discussions about my business happenings. Naturally, the inevitable question got asked: '“How do I manage doing everything at once?” It's a valid question, and truth be told, there are times even I find myself unsure. However, I've made some adjustments to my daily routine to fit it all in; rising an hour and a half earlier to work on my book and cutting sugar from my copious cups of tea to maintain consistent energy levels throughout the day, making me more efficient.
Currently, I'm deep in the creation of a book titled 'Where the Waves Break: How I Overcame Tragedy, and You Can Too.' This narrative, stemming from my own experiences and personal journey, unfolds swiftly without the need to conjure fictional characters and plots. While I wish it were mere fiction, alas, it's a reflection of my reality.
Revisiting the past for this book has stirred profound emotions, particularly the cruel clarity of hindsight. A decade has passed since the tragedies that fell upon our family, yet hindsight casts a shadow over the "could haves", “should haves” and "why didn’t we’s." As I go down these memories to paper, the weight of the past is daunting, often triggering a sense of post-traumatic stress despite feeling comfortable and confident in my healing journey.
Although I've rationalized and found the silver linings amidst the pain, the longing for what was lost remains. The grief, once suffocating and all-encompassing, now resurfaces as I document each chapter, which is to say, each memory, each pain, each shock and each blow. Juggling the demands of work, business growth, parenthood, and marriage means a slow, deliberate, mindful approach.
While discussing these feeling with my two friends at that cafe (the same two friends that came to my side late that same night of dad’s sudden death), I spoke of the profound impact on my family and with me so eloquently saying “I forgot just how fucked up that whole time was.” While not every detail will grace the pages of my book out of respect for our family’s privacy, there still will be lots of harrowing moments and real authentic sorrow and, equally beautiful healing, recovery and reconciliation. The overarching narrative aims to offer solace and insight to others going through similar family disfunction. As a family we collectively agreed that the discomfort of sharing our stories is outweighed by the potential to aid others in seeking help and avoiding similar tragedies. Our discomfort becomes a worthy sacrifice in pursuit of collective healing.
There have already been far too many sacrifices. We hope this book helps other individuals heal, restore and revitalize their families for a path forward without pain and sorrow for future generations.
Takeaway - Hindsight can get stuffed.
