On today’s episode, I give an update on what it’s been like writing “Shackled” with my grandfather.
The book chronicles his life story – being politically imprisoned for twenty years at the young age of six years old, experiencing the tragedies of family members being executed, finding light through expanding his knowledge (he learned six languages, thousands of poems, philosophies from the great Eastern and Western philosophers, and more), and through it all, choosing love, kindness, compassion, wisdom, and humanity as the values he’d live by.
By the way…we made this video recently (it got over 1.4 million views on Facebook!)
Have a message for him? Comment below, or on the video – YouTube or Facebook!
I’ll make sure he sees it.
Back to the book update…
This book has been the hardest thing I’ve ever written.
It’s very personal.
Every chapter I’ve written has been typed with a richness of emotion, everything from grief to rage to gratitude to honor.
It’s been challenging.
Just to write the fullness of my grandfather’s story, I’ve had to really be with his experiences – many of them full with an adversity that’s incomprehensible.
It’s been a long journey.
The entire writing process has happened over the course of the past four years, more strongly the past two. The real journey, of course, goes way before I was born. It was 1932 when my grandpa was playing on the rooftop with his brother and cousin. Then, suddenly, loud cries and screams came from the courtyard below them. They quickly climbed down to see what all the chaos was about. There, in the center of a circle of family, maids, chefs, and attendants, was the bloodied body of his uncle. That marked the beginning of his imprisonment.
It’s been sacred.
I’ve gotten to know my grandpa and my lineage with profound depth. The bond I have with them all is priceless, and would’ve never happened had I not claimed the opportunity to write this book.
And there’s more…for you to hear below:
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/325755098″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]
Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, TuneIn, and iHeartRadio.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download