Memoir Monday: Dare to Ask
Seeing Me Through You
I recently posted this question for my Facebook friends to answer:
“Is there a question you’ve always wanted to ask me? Ask it.”
Why Facebook?
Because they know me there.
My friends there are really my friends. People I’ve known across the four continents of my journey.
They were my high school classmates.
They were my sisters on a spiritual journey.
They are my children, and even some of my grandchildren.
They know me, even during the years when I didn’t fully know myself.
Most responses came openly in the comment section. A few came through private DMs.
What did I hope to learn from asking that question?
I was curious.
Curious about what they were most curious about.
What they admired.
What confused them.
What moments from my life had stayed with them.
The trade-off was that I got to ask them one question in return.
And I didn’t limit myself.
Neither did they.
Some questions came in just a few words. Others came wrapped inside a short story. Whatever it took to express the question. Whatever it took to give the answer.
The results touched my soul.
I was remembered.
They took time to reflect on me, and in doing so, they revealed a little something about themselves too.
I learned that when I felt weak, they saw courage.
I learned that when I felt like a ball of confusion, they saw calm.
I learned that when I felt ugly, they saw beauty.
I am still processing the gift this gave me, but I know this much: I emerged more courageous.
I also saw, even more clearly, that pretending to have a perfect social media life would never be the right approach for me.
Not for my memoir.
Not for my work.
Not for the women I feel called to walk with.
She doesn’t need a polished performance from me.
She needs me to keep it real so she can feel safe enough to do the same.
I’m not here to fix her.
I’m here to walk with her while she reconnects with herself.
If you are in a season of trying to recognize yourself again, I invite you to join my Memoir List or book a Courage Call.
We don’t have to pretend here.
Yes and please excuse my typos :-)
That question alone shows you are woman of depth - open and willing to hear what people think. That is courage in if itself. I know many women who are "stuck in their old way of thinking" and not open to perhaps being vulnerable - a generational thing i guess. Thanks for being clear aboyt where you stand with social media - let's keep it real nit performative.