Welcome to BookView Interview, a conversation series where BookView talks to authors.

Recently, we interviewed Paul Dunion EdD, a teacher, author, and psychological healer, about his writing and his recently released book, My Days with Emma: A Soulful Path to Elderhood, a refreshingly original, insightful look into how to age with grace. (Read the review here.)

PAUL DUNION, EdD, is a teacher, author, and psychological healer committed to remaining mindful of life as a mysterious and unpredictable journey. A steadfast believer in the power of community, Paul founded Boys to Men, a mentoring program for teenage boys, and COMEGA, the semi-annual Connecticut Men’s Gathering now in its 30th year of service. Paul currently is a Senior Faculty with Mobius Executive Leadership and teaches at Mobius’ Next Practice Institute. Storytelling, facilitating, and writing are some of Paul’s strongest gifts. He regularly contributes to various online platforms. My Days with Emma: A Soulful Path to Elderhood is his seventh book. Paul lives in eastern Connecticut with his wife, Connie, and dog, Kody. 

Twitter: @PJDunion

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@pauldunionauthor

Website:pauldunion.com

My Days with Emma explores your own experiences being mentored into elderhood, as well laying the foundation to help others going through the same or similar life changes. Do you consider this book a memoir, a self-help book, or perhaps something in between?

I typically don’t feel drawn to a self-help book description. I prefer it be viewed as an inspirational book.

What inspired you to share the wisdom you have been taught and learned yourself with others?

I don’t see my writing a book as mostly about sharing wisdom. For me, the writing is my way of making sense and meaning out of any of my experience asking for attention. I am glad to pass on what I learn, especially foolishness and defeats.

Did you learn anything about yourself through the process of writing My Days with Emma?

I learned and relearned that no major life transition should be approached alone. I understand that personal development and growth means I will be called somewhere I’ve never been. However, it would only be out of hubris that I would insist upon going it alone.

How has your education and background as a teacher helped you write My Days with Emma?

What mostly helped me to write My Days with Emma was the mentoring devotion I received from Emma and the six books I wrote prior to this book.

After the writing’s finished, how do you judge the quality of your work?

I mostly judged the quality of the work through joy. It was the first book I wrote from a place of joy. Writing the dialogues I had with Emma was very fulfilling. I think it’s a good book.

Knowing what you know now about life and aging, if there was one thing you wish you could tell your younger self, what would it be?

I would tell my younger self that life is not mostly a journey, but rather a series of images that touch and move you. Let yourself have a very gentle grip upon some future vision, curious about what life is asking of you now.

What’s next for you?

I’ve just completed a manuscript for The Family and I have started to write another manuscript on what it means to be A Conveyor of Light. The Family addresses the varying roles children play in a family and how to glean the strengths of those roles while interrupting unavailing psychological material. The manuscript also addresses issues regarding conscious parenting and building emotionally intimate relationships. The current work in progress is entitled Carrying Light or What it Means to be a Conveyor of Light. The word Light refers to those attributes that support sustainability such as wisdom, courage, authenticity, gratitude, generosity, integrity, and simplicity. I suggest that to remain in an apprenticeship to the Light we must be willing to attend to Shadow material. These darker energies can be represented by vanity, greed, hubris, and self-righteousness. Shadows tend to show up in our dreams and what we project to others, such as “Harry is self-righteous”.

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