“When are you going to finish your book?”
Editors would tell me not to give away the secret. Don’t give away the cow for a steak.
I don’t care.
Years ago I had a successful blog. I once had a post go viral with over 5 million clicks and counting. I loved writing and based on the numbers (if you’re into that) people enjoyed something I would put on the internet.
Then came Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, podcasts, and reels.
So I tried to be hip and cool. Stay with the trends. Follow the path. Honestly, deep in my heart, I still wanted to write my book. I wanted to tell my story. As of this post, I have given a space for 307 other people to tell their stories on the Aaron Unscripted Podcast. I love that. It’s why I started Unscripted. I hope you continue to love it too. The stories are yours, I just click record.
But I have a story too.
In full disclosure, I wrote the first half of my book “Jesus, My Mom and Freddie Mercury” in about a week. Each chapter is dedicated to the stories of others. My mom, dad, sister, wife, son, daughter one and daughter two. Easiest thing I have ever written.
Each chapter ends with 216:
Two takeaways,
One important quote,
Six challenges.
Then I got to the second half of the book. That part is my story. That was 2 years ago and I don’t have a single page written. It’s not because I don’t have content. It’s because I don’t know how to write it. I don’t know how to share the incredible journey I have lived. I need a ghostwriter. I need to be able to sit in a room with someone that can write my story.
Because it has been an amazing, stupid, crazy, wild, difficult, and redeemed story.
I have told my family, “If I never wake up one day, know that I lived. I loved.“
My emotional and spiritual wallet is empty at the end of each day.
My Mom used to say – “Feelings are real”
I have lived my feelings.
Freddie Mercury sang “This world has only one sweet moment set aside for us.”
I have lived not one, but many moments set aside for me.
Someday, I might finish that book.
I’ll tell my story.
Until then I will tell the stories of my family, my people, my friends, and my village.
If that is all that I ever get to do.
I will live the reminder of Pastor Rick Warren……
“It’s not about you.”