We Are One

Speaking of family, allow me to sing a few praises about a community of bloggers I’ve never met, nor likely ever will. I’ve spent most of my many years on the planet in search of like-minded souls with whom sharing from the heart is the main topic of conversation. Mostly what I have found is that surface chatter, small talk, and gossip usually rule the day.

In these times of world crises and uncertainty, it would not surprise me to learn that more and more people are searching for a safe place in which to share from the heart and find comfort among others who are struggling with similar issues. If you are one of them, read on. If you’re not, read on.

Finding just one such person in real life (IRL—I learned that from Vicki) is like finding a ginormous gold brick in the middle of a mud puddle. Bloggers, however, seem to have an uncanny ability to be magnetically drawn together in a clump in some mysterious, mystical way. I figured that there must be some gold out there somewhere—I just didn’t know where to look. My search finally culminated in finding soul mates inside my computer in a world of bloggers, far removed from the dense physical plane of in-person 3D reality. Allow me to introduce you to my favorite blog platform and its creators, Vicki and Wynne . . . 

The Heart of the Matter blog platform was co-founded by two of my favorite Wonder Women, Wynne Leon and Vicki Atkinson. Along with eight other lovable bloggers, Vicki and Wynne regularly contribute articles for Heart of the Matter readers. Together, this talented group of writers has created a growing community of caring souls who speak their truth in words that resonate with me on many levels. 

THE HEART OF THE MATTER

The Heart of the Matter banner reads, “Here we write and talk about inspirations….our journey to discover what matters most.” Humor, poignant experiences and relatable first-person stories abound in a space of openness, honesty, vulnerability and authenticity. What is nearly impossible to find in real life is alive and well within the virtual reality of a blogging community of like-minded souls. It is a pure delight to be a part of such a loving, caring group within the virtual world, and nearly impossible to find IRL. If you’d like to taste test the love fest, check out The Heart of the Matter. 

WYNNE LEON

Wynne Leon is the extraordinary single mom of two, former courageous climber of very tall mountains, business consultant of techie things beyond my understanding, and author of the engrossing memoir, Finding My Father’s Faith”. Wynne, ever the Energizer Bunny, never ceases to amaze me. Her story of wandering away from the Christian family fold to find her own way on the spiritual path parallels the difficult road that I have also taken as I wandered away from my own Presbyterian upbringing. As the daughter of a devout Presbyterian minister, Wynne seeks and finds the unbreakable bond of love with her beloved father, and celebrates finding common ground in spite of differences. Wynne’s blog is Surprised by Joy.

VICKI ATKINSON 

Vicki’s resilient spirit shines through in her recent book, Surviving Sue.  Sue is an incredibly heartfelt, touching, and beautifully written memoir of Vicki’s life as the daughter of a seriously dysfunctional mother and developmentally disabled sister. Her ability to survive a broken childhood and emerge as a healed and whole human being is an inspiration and powerful testimony of her strength of character. I was sad when the I finished the last page, but glad that I can keep up with Vicki on her blog, Victoria Ponders.

VICKI’S BOOK REVIEW

I am beyond grateful to Vicki for writing an unsolicited, amazingly glowing review of my book, “Voices: Who’s in Charge of the Committee in my Head?”. I didn’t pay her to do it, honest—but she did such a fabulous job that I suggested she consider a second career as a book publicist. Please read her review here. Vicki also wrote a pre-review of Voices which can be found on her blog,  Victoria Ponders.

(We interrupt this program to bring you an embarrassing little true confession. Do you remember reading that all things techie are beyond my understanding? In what appears to be a shameless act of self-promotion, all “Victoria” links point to her book review of Voices. I confess that I simply could not figure out how to link to the home page of A Heart of the Matter. I rest my case.) We now return you our regular programming…..

Now is a really great time on the planet to be looking for love. But if, like me you’re looking for kindred spirits and like-minded souls, you’ll need to look in the right places. So if you’re looking for love, look within first—you’ll find someone beautiful in there. And if you  need a little help from your friends (the ones you’ve never met), drop by and enjoy the daily lovefest at The Heart of the Matter. 

Who are we? We are family. We are one.