At a workshop tonight we wrote dialogues with an aspect of self–or I said before starting–“you might want to have a conversation with a book project or something you’re working on or with a body part that’s bothering you.”
I told them about a dialogue I’d had with my tongue.
Me, to my tongue: Why do you get swollen and sore and make me talk as though I’m drunk, slurring my words because I can’t fit you in my mouth.
Tongue: You stay up too late, don’t get enough rest. That plus eating too much salt makes me swell. Knock it off and I’ll behave.
Me: Well OK.
Two women, sitting beside each other on a couch and banging on laptops, both wanted to read their dialogues. Both were with writing projects. One of them went something like this: “Why do you NOT put me on your schedule, give me any attention? “
Writer: Because other things come up and I’m not on a deadline with you.
Project: Yeah but you don’t have forever. You might die before finishing me, like Peter did. What makes you think you have all this time?
Writer: Yikes. True. What do you want from me?
Project: Your time and attention.
Somebody else read about a real life character who was begging for a voice–to have her story told in a memoir.
If we give these inner voices the chance, they come out loud and clear for what they need.
All we have to do is take the time to ask, and listen.
