As an author and an artist, I am fascinated by the beauty and history of the exquisite and intricate manuscripts medieval scribes produced. The monks and nuns who worked on these works of art were not just recording historical and spiritual events, they were shaping the hearts and minds of the readers.
This was a powerful source of learning which for centuries; the aristocracy kept as a currency of knowledge for themselves. Yet, the voices of simple men and women provided a potent antidote to ignorance. We need not reserve a culture of learning and seeking wisdom to the elite or literate. Tools of progress are now available in many forms. I suspect that one of these scribes, should they have travelled through time, may by now already have an established following on YouTube or TikTok. As an author, I celebrate the written word, but I also use the full arsenal of teaching tools available to me.
With this in mind, my husband and I jumped at the chance of attending the University of Johannesburg’s #reconnect TedX talk. Amongst the speakers was a group of women who shared the most remarkable stories of their lives and situations that shaped them. It amazed me how candidly many of them spoke about areas of vulnerability in their lives. Their allotted 15 minutes of fame wove tales of hope, courage and learning into the hearts of the attendees.
After the event, we drove through the suburb my husband grew up in. We passed the houses of some of his closest friends and even drove down a road he had cycled to and from school on. It was a charming trip down memory lane and a peek into a geographical memory bank, which was akin to looking at your spouse’s baby photos.
The journey made me wonder about how we use the memories we own. Are we regurgitating them the way we used to do when we memorised history lessons in school… a list of factual events plotting them in chronological and geographic order? Or are we tapping into the power of storytelling? There is a branch of psychology which deals with how stories can be a powerful force for healing. While studies have shown the link between the retelling of stories and positive mental health, it also helps with increased memory retention.
For me, even more important is the growth of wisdom and empathy, which is something we desperately need in a society that faces enormous mental health challenges after the pandemic. So next time you recall an event that happened to you; think of how you can retell it in a way that promotes healing and growth.
Think of how you will be remembered.
Dragon Mugs
If you love dragons, then these Dragon coffee mugs are for you. Muquin is a Silver Wing Dragon from the Chronicles of Nadine epic Fantasy Series.
Books
Have a look at Kim’s books in the series.
Kim Vermaak is a South African born author, speaker, trainer and bookstore owner who has been an entrepreneur for over 20 years and in that time; she has helped hundreds of authors, brand managers and entrepreneurs build their brands. Kim’s super power is using the power of what many see as crushing events and using them to transform not only herself but the hearts and minds of others.
She was a winner of a Regional business award, a recipient of the Panache Woman of Wonder Award and has been featured in publications such as Cosmopolitan and Destiny Magazine and served as the vice chair for the Johannesburg Business Women’s Association.
Kim’s passion for bringing wisdom back into the art of storytelling touched the hearts of her medieval fantasy series but she also has a love for teaching authors to create strong foundations for building book-preneur businesses that help them turn their dreams of being an author into a reality. You can connect with Kim via her website, www.writelearnandearn.co.za or www.kimvermaak.com or via LinkedIn.
