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FROM THE HEART TO THE PAGE

Lessons in Narrative Healing

Words by Lisa Weinert

Some say the journey from the path we face. head to the heart is the longest and most arduous journey we ever face. If that’s true, then the journey from the heart to the page may be the most healing path we face. I grew up surrounded by writers. I learned about agents, publishers and book reviews in the same way I learned about making my bed and eating my greens. I naturally pursued a career in publishing and have worked with hundreds of writers over the years. I walked around thinking I was some kind of expert in storytelling. I didn’t know my stories were living in my body.

 

When I was thirty-five, my life was interrupted by a medical scare that forced me to stop in my tracks and re-examine the power of storytelling. I went to the doctor for a routine check-up. They decided to do some extra tests. I had no symptoms that I was aware of, so, unworried, I returned to my inbox. A week later, I received a call. “You have cancer,” he said. “I’m sorry.”