Hi there!
Today’s Substack, a day earlier than usual, is made up mainly of direct quotations from the newest entry in my journal.
‘Last night, 14 February 2024, I invited several more people to the Launch,’ I journaled this morning. ‘Has the reticence left me? No. But it has shifted.’
To Err is Human
‘I am not a hero. Nobody reading Book 1 could have felt I was a hero. Neither am I anti-hero. Like all of us, we are human.
‘To err is human. To feel uncertain is human. To believe in untrue things is human. To want to tell your story is human.
‘Ego, Id, and Superego is human. To be flawed is to be human.’
Vulnerability Takes Courage
‘To feel vulnerable is to be human. We are all vulnerable — to death, imprisonment, public shaming, ridicule. Is that not why we try to stave off death by staying healthy, having health insurance and avoiding walking down dark alleys at night?
‘We guard our freedom, such as it is, paying taxes, keeping laws, driving sober to avoid killing or maiming someone and to avoid the shame and isolation of the loss of, or damage to, our reputation, relationships and freedom.
‘If I wrote fiction, I’d worry that people didn’t like my stories or think me a good writer.’
The Quest for Authenticity
‘But as a memoirist, my topic, my subject matter, is myself.
‘And, so, it’s natural to feel exposed and vulnerable at my book launch. Last time, with Book 1, there was the dramatic contrast of believer to unbeliever. Abandoning my nine-year priestly path. Stepping into the unknown.
‘This time, that decision is mainly already taken: I’ve taken leave of absence but I have yet to definitively leave.
‘And how would my life pan out? Would I find happiness, contentment and love? How would I earn an income? What explorations and adventures awaited me?’
The Evolution of Belief and Identity
‘Would I discard religion completely? If so, how long would that process take?
‘Might I be a microcosm for humanity where I can see what happens in a life or society where religious beliefs are questioned, examined, scrutinized, outgrown and discarded?
‘Would the boy who felt no woman would ever be interested in him find a woman who was interested in him, and would love and mutuality and authenticity be their touchstone?’
Is Doubt the Cradle of Wisdom?
‘Is Doubt really the beginning of wisdom?
‘We each have our own particular lives to live. Why might my life, or a reader’s knowledge of it, matter to anyone else?
‘What is my fear about the book launch? That someone might ask a question that throws me or that I cannot answer? That I’m “exposed” as “imperfect” or, far worse, contemptible; or deemed unworthy to be listened to or read?
‘I find myself with this extraordinary, unique resource of my journals, kept for most of my lifetime. A record of my life as it unfolded.’
Life’s Ordinary Extraordinary
‘Reading them, usually at a remove of 30 years or more, gives me a unique insight into myself from the perspective of an older, and hopefully a bit wiser, human being.
‘I’m almost 62 (the age my dad was when he died). I can look back on my life, a human life, and try to understand myself.
The Significance of Self-Examination
‘“The unexamined life is not worth living.”
‘Through my memoirs, I’m examining an ordinary life, my life. And writing my memoirs helps me to understand who I am.’
Doubt and Discovering Meaning
‘It’s a human story. A search for meaning and a search for love.
‘It’s an encounter with doubt and a befriending of doubt.’
Exploring the Scientific Method of Doubt
‘Doubt is the scientific method. Doubt is how humans progress. If we didn’t doubt, we would still believe that the earth is the centre of the universe.
‘I would still believe in a god. I might be celibate, instead of married. My children would not exist. My home wouldn’t exist. Our marriage would never have happened. I couldn’t have written my memoirs. Or they would have been very different memoirs.’
Tomorrow I’m meeting an old friend, which is why I’m writing my Substack a day early this week. I don’t think I’ve seen him in 30 years. It’s a joy of writing one’s memoirs—reconnecting with people from my past.
Invitation to a Special Event
Join Us at the Book Launch
I would be delighted if you, beloved reader, could attend the book launch. It will be a special event, with live music by The Rayne and Andrea Patron. Among the songs, will be Every Moment, the basic melody and lyrics to which I wrote 30-something years ago when I met Ruth. The Rayne will also be premiering a new song, So Glad I Married You, that the three of us have written. It will be sung last, because every time I hear it, I cry!
A Night of Music and Reflection
My very good friend Eamon Murphy will be hosting the event and interviewing me and there’ll be readings from Saved by a Woman and audience participation with questions and answers. It should be a good night.
Date and Time: Thursday 7 March at 8pm GMT.
Register Now for an Unforgettable Experience
Guests need to register for free in advance to secure their place. People anywhere in the world can attend as it’s being held on Zoom. We look forward to your presence at this special event celebrating the power of the human search for meaning and personal growth.
I hope you can join us!
Happy days,
Joe
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.
Please note that if the Amazon link to either memoir says that any edition isn’t available, simply change the .co.uk or .com or .de in the Amazon domain name or territory in the URL or address bar. For example, you might need to change to Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com or Amazon.ca, etc. depending on the territory you’re based in.
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Happy days,
Joe