The Trinity of My Heart, My Hands, and My Words

At some point in my life, for a week or two, I stayed at the house of a retired couple who owned two big dogs. One evening, their young grandchildren came over for dinner. Minutes after the children’s arrival, the whole house was filled with laughter and excitement. Apart from chasing around and throwing jokes at each other, the children fearlessly surrounded the two dogs, which were taller than them, touching every inch of the dogs’ fur. The grandmother looked at me and said, “See, they’re not even scared!”

We used to like exploring big and furry things, didn’t we?

Well, those days have passed, at least for me.

I am in my forties, the midlife crisis age group. I feel hesitant to take up any new hobby, discover new interests, or meet new friends. I feel that my plate is already full and any new commitment would likely end up in frustrations and regrets.

And so, month after month, I looked at the Vocal+ logo and struggled, wondering whether I wanted it or not.

Since young, I have had a passion for writing. That passion has been buried under other life choices and family responsibilities. Uncovering that is not an easy task.

At my stage of life, self-discovery is almost as dangerous as defusing a ten-ton time bomb. You don’t want to awaken the dreams that have been asleep for years, nor remember the many reasons why you have given them up.

But then came the number 2024. This big number shocked me to a sudden realization that I am not getting any younger. Last week, under the encouragement of a whispering inner voice from my heart, I finally upgraded to Vocal+.

I know perfectly well that I am no longer a child and I can no longer explore new things fearlessly. As I take up writing as a new commitment in 2024, I am prepared to pour in my heart and soul with the knowledge that I may be disappointed by harsh realities.

As a Vocal+ member, I am eligible to participate in the writing challenges. More to that, I am now challenging myself to take on a self-disciplined journey of self-discovery, to re-discover my inner self, embrace my hidden dreams, and heal the invisible wounds. I may be able to hone my writing skills and my writer’s instinct as a byproduct, but my goal is to hone my listening skills to the rhythms of my heart and transform those rhythms into words.

From time to time, everybody needs to sit in a personal corner, be in solitude, and just listen. If you do that, you may or may not hear music from the heavens, but you will hear your own heartbeats.

In 2024, I make it a commitment to listen to myself through writing. Years of struggles have made me realize that my heart, my hands, and my words are closely and divinely connected as a trinity, and it is now time I fully surrender to its holy presence.

I look forward to a renewed self that would propel and equip me to march on life’s journey, for another forty years if God’s willing. As fellow Vocal members, you can say a quiet prayer for me.

And my best wishes to you all too! I sincerely wish that whatever your 2024 resolution is, you would embrace it fully, and turn it into a priceless treasure.