Unfinished Works
Life and Legacy in a World of Uncertainty
Hello there,
In a world where time is our most precious commodity, it’s easy to forget how fleeting our lives truly are. We often assume we have time to complete our life’s work, to share our stories, and to make a difference. However, history is replete with examples of brilliant minds like Geoffrey Chaucer, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Antoni Gaudí, whose lives were unexpectedly cut short, leaving behind unfinished masterpieces.
The Unfinished Symphony: Lives Cut Short, Legacies Untouched
English poet and philosopher Geoffrey Chaucer died in 1400, before he could complete The Canterbury Tales. German composer Ludwig van Beethoven died in 1827, leaving unfinished his 10th Symphony.
And renowned Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí was knocked down by a tram and died three days later in 1926, leaving behind his renowned unfinished cathedral, the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.
Their stories serve as a poignant reminder that life is uncertain, and the time to pursue our passions and share our truths is now. Each of us carries within us a unique narrative, a life’s work waiting to be explored and shared.
Beyond Beliefs: My Journey from Faith to Freedom
For me, my life’s work lies in my memoir series. It seeks to explore a profound transformation: how someone can shift from committed belief in God to not believing in any god, deity, prophet, or religion.
When you consider the billions of people who are believers, often fundamentalists; and the wars and terrorism associated with the identities that people acquire by being members of a religion. When you consider the lives that are wasted, believing in untruths; lives suspended for an imagined future life that will never come. When you think of the clashes of culture such as Islam versus Christianity, or the Nazi extermination of the Jews, or the inhumanity of the present Israeli government to Palestinians; when you consider all that, I think it’s important to know how one person outgrew religion and discovered a better life—truer, happier and more grounded in reality. That’s why I feel my story is important.
The Cost of Belief: The Impact of Faith on Lives and Societies
I’m astonished that so many people see no problem with indoctrinating children’s minds, hearts, and emotions into a religion. I know the formidable thresholds they will have to overcome to liberate their brains and learn to think independently as adults. And liberating their emotions and attitudes is harder still.
The indoctrination of children is an abuse of their innocence and an egregious denial of their fundamental human rights. It astounds me that many fail to recognize the harm inherent in this, reminiscent of a time when child sexual abuse was often ignored. May the day soon come when abusing children’s minds, emotions, and sexuality through ‘inculcating’ religion will be seen for what it is: abhorrent and despicable child abuse.
Mind and Heart Liberation: Breaking the Chains of Indoctrination
Sexually, religions impose negativity, fear, shame, and rejection over believers and non-believers alike. They seek to control other people, including people who are not of their faith. Neither civil society nor politicians appear to have any difficulty with permitting adults and schools to indoctrinate children into mindsets and systems of control and lies that damage children. Indeed, States often pay for that indoctrination through their national school systems.
Writing My Unfinished Tale: Reflections on the Memoir Series
Anyway, I am pleased that this week I have ordered the proofs for the hardback and paperback editions of the second book, Saved by a Woman, in my memoir series Losing Religion, Finding Myself. I have also revised the first book in the series, In My Gut, I Don’t Believe, updating it to the present day. In fact, the updated paperback version of Book 1 is already available on Amazon. And I have also ordered the proofs for the first hardback edition of my first memoir.
I’m exhausted. I’ve been working morning and night to get to this stage. I just hope I’m not hit by a tram before Book 2 is published on 7 November!
Embracing Life’s Uncertainties: The Journey Continues
As I navigate the intricacies of writing and sharing my story, I am acutely aware of life’s impermanence. The stories we leave behind, the truths we uncover, and the lives we touch are all part of our unfinished symphony. With each page I write, I strive to make my mark, embracing the uncertainty of what lies ahead. The countdown to 7 November begins, when Saved by a Woman will be published, and I hope that, unlike Beethoven, Chaucer, or Gaudí, I will have the privilege to see my work through to completion.
