From Discouragement to Discovery

Struggles, Creativity and Growth

The Weight of Discouragement

Hi there,

There’s a line near the start of my favorite film of all time ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ that has always struck me:

FRANKLIN: Yes, Clarence. A man down on Earth needs our help.

CLARENCE: Splendid! Is he sick?

FRANKLIN: No, worse. He’s discouraged.

A road in a forest leading from darkness into light. Photo by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash

Identifying with George Bailey

That whole mighty film is predicated upon George Bailey’s discouragement. George Bailey is Everyman. We identify with him because he’s a good man who is fallible and makes mistakes. He shouts at his children. He verbally abuses his daughter’s teacher. He is at a crisis in his life. After a lifetime of goodness, it all seems to be falling apart. He thinks he’s going to jail over someone else’s mistake.

A Personal Struggle with Discouragement

I, too, feel discouraged. I only found time to record and edit three more episodes of the audiobook of Saved by a Woman during March. Yes, I’ve done lots of other things but at my current rate of progress I’ll be lucky to have it completed by Christmas.

‘I, too, feel discouraged.’ A man with headphones looking like he could do with some encouragement. Photo by Nubelson Fernandes on Unsplash

Reassessing Strategies

I’ve quitted quitting alcohol, as it wasn’t working as a way to motivate me to complete the audiobook as soon as possible.

Balancing Priorities: Writing vs. Recording

A problem with recording and editing is that I’m not writing!

I know that some people appreciate hearing my voice telling my story. But I’m wondering if it’s worthwhile spending a lot of time over the rest of this year doing it, instead of looking at my journals and seeing how my third memoir might take shape.

Deliberating Future Projects

I’m wondering whether to abandon the audiobook and begin to look instead at the next batch of journals.

Man watching a road leading in two different directions. ‘I’m wondering whether to abandon the audiobook and begin to look instead at the next batch of journals.’ Photo by Justin Luebke on Unsplash

Two books have told the story of my first 33 years, from 1962 to summer 1995. I began my Substack just over a year ago, in February 2023. Twenty-eight years separate the concluding scene of Book 2 to the start of my substack: that’s less than the period dealt with in the first two books.

The Journey of Self-Understanding

I write my memoirs, in the first instance, to help me understand myself. ‘Know thyself,’ said Socrates. ‘The unexamined life is not worth living.’ I now understand myself a lot better.

The Significance of Losing Religion, Finding Myself

The memoir series is an interesting psychological, sociological and historical record of one Irishman’s life and times; born the year that the Second Vatican Council began. My life story personifies and to some extent anticipates the secularization of Ireland.

Áras an Uachtaráin, residence of the President of Ireland. ‘My life story personifies and to some extent anticipates the secularization of Ireland.’ Photo by Fabrício Severo on Unsplash

Comparisons to the Up Series

It’s a bit like the Up series of documentaries, which followed the lives of individuals from 1964, when they were aged seven; and touched base with them again every seven years. My story begins just two years earlier, in 1962.

Methodology and Sources

Whereas the Up series follows the lives of several individuals born in England, mine follows one male life born in Ireland, relying on contemporaneous private journals, letters and other primary source materials.

Internal Struggles: Validating Self-Worth

My discouragement about the audiobook may be a manifestation of a question I have as to whether or not my memoir series is worthwhile.

Personal Mission and Legacy

I create it because I have a deep passion about the immorality of indoctrinating children into any religion. Most of society doesn’t have a problem with it, just as, only decades ago, many people accepted corporal punishment in schools and the sexual abuse of children was known about but few did anything to stop it.

‘I have a deep passion about the immorality of indoctrinating children into any religion.’ Sculpture of four children clinging to a resolute woman, the children’s weight pressing on her firm, steady shoulders. Photo by Photos of Korea on Unsplash

While I have written several other books and hundreds of articles and columns in newspapers and magazines, I value my two memoirs above them all. I believe I’m contributing something meaningful and of value to the world and that it will form the chief part of my writing legacy.

Gratitude and Conclusion

Thank you for your support by reading, listening or subscribing to the Joe the Human substack and my memoirs. Photo by Duy Pham on Unsplash

I also do so for therapy, self-understanding and personal insight. I thank those of you who support my work by reading or listening to it, or by subscribing to my Substack.

Happy days,

Joe

You can listen to the launch of the first memoir on the Losing My Religion Podcast or watch it on YouTube.

You can listen to the more recent launch of Saved by a Woman on my Losing My Religion Podcast or the Joe the Human post and Podcast.

Saved by a Woman is now available on Amazon in Kindle, Paperback, and Hardback editions.

In My Gut, I Don’t Believe is available on Amazon in Kindle, Paperback, Hardback and Audible editions.

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Happy days,

Joe