They say everyone has a book in them. Some authors just know that their life stories would make an interesting book even though some of their life experiences are hard to write about.
Such is the case of Irene Watson, author of the new book, The Sitting Swing: Finding Wisdom to Know the Difference. I love memoirs and Irene doesn’t disappoint. We interviewed her to find out if reliving your past causes more heartache or heals old wounds. Her answer will surprise you.
Q. Thank you for this interview, Irene. Your book, The Sitting Swing, is the story of your childhood. Since some of our readers have not read your book, can you tell us briefly what it is about and why you decided to write it?
A. My pretentious life could go no further until I faced my past head on! My memoir begins at the end, in a recovery center, where I had gone to understand a childhood fraught with abuse, guilt and uncertainty. My story is a testament that it’s never too late to change your life, never too late to heal.
This book is more than a story of my childhood. That’s only part of it. The Sitting Swing: Finding Wisdom to Know the Difference shows us how guilt, fear, and ignorance are borne by our children. Two distinct parts of the book look at an abusive child rearing and the process of recovery that takes place years later. On many levels this is a classic story showing change, growth, forgiveness, and recovery are possible. It is also a story and a testament to the strength and courage of the human spirit. In the end it gives hope and freedom to those that accept the past and move forward by rewriting life scripts that have been passed down for generations.
Q. When you were writing this book, thus opening up old wounds, did you find it hard to stay focused? What was the driving force to keep you going?
A. Yes, and no. Yes, sometimes I wanted to wallow in the past, stay a victim, and continue to have the mindset of “look what they did to me” or “how can I forgive, they “this” or they “that.” However, reliving the past can heal old wounds if we truly want to be healed. Looking at our past experiences gives us the opportunity to create a better life for ourselves. I knew that, so I would bring myself back to focus.
