I know what your thinking...A narcissist? Well, maybe perhaps, but sometimes it's much more than that.
As a reader, I have always enjoyed biographies and memoirs over any other genre, I just think reality is always more interesting than fiction. But before I wrote my own memoir, I never really thought..."Why"? Why would someone, who is not known or in the public spotlight, want to expose their most private thoughts and intimate details about their lives? And really, who would care?
Well, now that I am added to that list of 'narcissist', I can tell you, sometimes it's not about 'you' so much as a person...it's about 'you and the healing process', at least in my case.
I never set out to write a book..in fact that's the last thing I ever imagined. After my mother's death in 2005, I found myself dealing with a lot of 'unfinished business' I carried with me. In fact, I was shocked at just how much I still had! Through many long 'therapy walks' on the beach, with just me and my thoughts, I started to make sense of the scattered puzzle pieces, and I was surprised there were also 'others' in that puzzle as well. But not until one random afternoon, when oddly, I decided to confide my story to a friend, did she convince me through a tear-soaked face that I had a story the world needed to hear. Hum. Who...ME?
Yes, I knew my story was unique in many ways, but I never in 30+ years hinted a word of my experiences...where would I even start? Well, I started at the beginning, as they say. And once I jumped in, I swear the keyboard smoked! In less than two weeks I had my first (very rough) draft. Not only was it a chance to put it all in black and white, turns out it was a very cathartic, very necessary, part of my healing process. Not until I saw those words staring back at me did I realize the 'why' of it all.
And that's when I finally 'got it', allowing me to forgive and let it go...for good! Freeing my soul of resentment and anger, allowing me to see exactly why things happened and the reasons, but most importantly, making me realize ALL those supposedly 'negative' experiences made ME the person I see standing in the mirror today. And you know what? I truly like that person...now.
So here I sat with close to 300 pages of self-discovery...what next? Actually, it was a no-brainer...I knew it was my mission to get my message out there, and what better way than to publish a book? If I can help someone going through the same thing, or make a parent realize the damage they might be doing to their children unknowingly, then it's worth me having my face behind the message of acceptance. In fact, I'm very proud to be that messenger. Like they say, if I can help one person...it was more than worth the trip.
So, I believe THAT is why people write memoirs...or at least it's why I wrote mine.
Narcissist? Perhaps a tad, but hey, I'm a Leo, so I'm going with that...and the healing/helping thing too! lol
Lisa Vaughn
