"Writing renders our world and ourselves. It has saved me more than once." Sorayya Khan considers the creative practice that helps her make sense of life’s impermanence.
Goodness, what beautiful writing. And how hope-inducing your words are! I’m 52 and working on my first memoir. Ordering your book today. Congratulations!
What an amazing life you have led -- I look forward to reading your memoir!
PS. As a very nerdy word lover, I am curious as to your choice of "render," as in "writing renders our world and ourselves." I had to look it up, of course, and now I'm hoping you'll tell me/us which of the many possible meanings you had in mind. I like this entry:
Thank you! I looked at the link and until then I didn't realize that "render" had so many meanings. The meaning closest to what I had in mind is "deliver." But the way I meant it, it also has shades of "depict" in it! From one word lover to another!
Up until yesterday, the only meaning of "render" I knew was to render fat, which I thought meant clarify. That seemed like a good option -- writing clarifies our world and ourselves. Then, when I looked it up, I found that rendering fat means removing moisture! Who knew.
This caught my eye on Substack. The title speaks truth. Then I had a serendipitous moment when you named my birth city (my true heart), Ithaca, as well as my adopted city where I currently live, Syracuse! Cities we live in impart a type of DNA imprint that truly impact who we are or become. I look forward to reading more as you incorporate your family city root’s heritage!
Writing does do the things you say. I like the cover art for your book. It's interesting how there's a touch of bright red in both the photo of you with your mother and the photo of you with your book.
Lovely piece, so insightful and compassionate. Writing and making art has been the underlying survival matrix of my whole life, and it's good to know I'm not alone. Congrats on your novel!
Thank you for reminding me that it was writing accompanied by dreams and meditation, not doctors or medication, that saved my life.
Thank you for writing life that demands reflection! I often wonder about death and more important, what depths and joy and sorrow will the years ahead bring.
This line resonated with me so deeply: "For the next year, I researched the novel I was writing as if my life depended upon it." I've been feeling that same urgency in my own writing -- like the clock is ticking as I scramble to get the words on the page. Thank you for this beautiful piece of writing (and this community).
Goodness, what beautiful writing. And how hope-inducing your words are! I’m 52 and working on my first memoir. Ordering your book today. Congratulations!
Thank you very much! And good luck with your memoir.
What an amazing life you have led -- I look forward to reading your memoir!
PS. As a very nerdy word lover, I am curious as to your choice of "render," as in "writing renders our world and ourselves." I had to look it up, of course, and now I'm hoping you'll tell me/us which of the many possible meanings you had in mind. I like this entry:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/render
Thank you! I looked at the link and until then I didn't realize that "render" had so many meanings. The meaning closest to what I had in mind is "deliver." But the way I meant it, it also has shades of "depict" in it! From one word lover to another!
Up until yesterday, the only meaning of "render" I knew was to render fat, which I thought meant clarify. That seemed like a good option -- writing clarifies our world and ourselves. Then, when I looked it up, I found that rendering fat means removing moisture! Who knew.
Render can also mean ‘to tear apart’, as in ‘render limb from limb’
Or ‘render my heart’, which is the meaning I took from the article
I adore how you took a lifetime of love and loss, made it faded at times and more vivid as the years went by. I journeyed with your story. Thank you!
Beautiful writing. This ancient (and apparently lone) male reader is looking forward to getting the book!
So many thanks!
So lovely to catch you here, Sorayya! That's a beautiful photograph of you with your mother ...sandhya
Nice to catch you as well! The photo is the color version of the same image that opens the book.
I must get that book now!
All I want to do now is read everything you have ever written.
That's such a lovely thing to say. Thank you!
This caught my eye on Substack. The title speaks truth. Then I had a serendipitous moment when you named my birth city (my true heart), Ithaca, as well as my adopted city where I currently live, Syracuse! Cities we live in impart a type of DNA imprint that truly impact who we are or become. I look forward to reading more as you incorporate your family city root’s heritage!
That's such a coincidence! And two cities which are so close, but worlds apart.
Writing does do the things you say. I like the cover art for your book. It's interesting how there's a touch of bright red in both the photo of you with your mother and the photo of you with your book.
Thank you, and I hadn't seen the shared red in the photos!
This is all lovely and well put Soraya. Congrats on the memoir! here’s to our madly-writing 60’s! - Anne-christine (Tell Me Everything ‘stack)
Thank you! Madly-writing 60s, indeed!
Lovely piece, so insightful and compassionate. Writing and making art has been the underlying survival matrix of my whole life, and it's good to know I'm not alone. Congrats on your novel!
Many thanks and I'm glad to know that I'm not alone!
Thank you for reminding me that it was writing accompanied by dreams and meditation, not doctors or medication, that saved my life.
Thank you for writing life that demands reflection! I often wonder about death and more important, what depths and joy and sorrow will the years ahead bring.
So many thanks! And good luck with your writing.
This line resonated with me so deeply: "For the next year, I researched the novel I was writing as if my life depended upon it." I've been feeling that same urgency in my own writing -- like the clock is ticking as I scramble to get the words on the page. Thank you for this beautiful piece of writing (and this community).
Community is (almost!) everything in writing. Thank you!
A beautiful meditation. Thank you.
Thank you so much!
I adore how you took a lifetime of love and loss, made it faded at times and more vivid as the years went by. I journeyed with your story. Thank you!
Thank you for reading!
Thank you very much!