Heart Work

Why else would one take on such a project?

I mean this as an endearment.

In my earlier years I was conscious that whatever I was working on either, voluntarily or paid work that an aspect of heart work made up my formula. What I have come to understand in those patterns of operating is that my motivations were not about personal gain or wealth creation.  That formula still holds and by remaining in the workforce part-time enables me to continue down this path of creating projects, which contribute to one’s enlightenment, health and well-being. 

I included the following quote in my first self-published book, by Professor Muhammad Yunus, 1998, Founder of the Grameen Bank.

             “Unless we create an environment that enables us to discover the limits

                     of our potential, we will never know what we have inside of us.”

Preparing this manuscript has been a journey like no other. Heart work in this context has arisen on many fronts, both historically and reading my Father’s and Aunty Rita's letters. Most of the content is about the coming and goings of the people that frequented their lives.  

Aunty Rita and Father taken in 2001- Kaikohe

Most notable in reading their letters is the ‘rhythms’ that made up their daily lives. More importantly what mattered to them in their retirement years aligns with my memories of what mattered to them in their working lives. There is a noticeable consistency in those reflections.   

What I am alluding to here, is do we underestimate the importance of the rhythms of daily life as a compass for future generations? Both my parents contributed to community or family in varying ways with no exchange of money. Aunty Rita’s was a lifetime of teaching. Such influences I do believe underpins why my heart work makes up the rhythm of my daily life. 

However, with this manuscript I have learnt another aspect about heart work not experienced before. That being the responsibility of ensuring, as best one can, to work with recordings, letters material entrusted from family members. 

  

I was conscious at the beginning of this manuscript that unknowns would surface. In this instance it has arisen while working with the above material. At times I have had to step away to replenish because some of the material shared by my father is sad.  Therefore, heart work in this instance requires me to work intuitively due to the trust shown.

Take care in the interim.

Viti