The Truth I Found While Talking with My Selves: Monologues and Little Known Facts to Guide You to Your Own Truth

By Tonya Burton

More then 20 days after a colonoscopy gone terribly wrong, Tonya is raced into the hospital for emergency surgery. One month later she returns home to recover, determined to change the habits and behaviors that kept her life so unbalanced it almost killed her.

In search of her own truth, she begins the process of healing and discovery with an introspective look at her life and the many facets of her personality, her "selves". Throughout the process she identifies little known facts and other information to associate these new discoveries with the world around her.

As this journey comes to an end, Tonya challenges the reader to find them "selves", their truth and their way to a better life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trafford Publishing
• Release date: Feb 1, 2012
• ISBN: 9781426996948

Tonya Burton

Born in Washington, DC, Tonya attended the University of the District of Columbia. She has enjoyed her work as a government analyst and strategic planner for more than 25 years. Tonya currently resides in Maryland with her husband and their children.

Book preview

INTRODUCING MY SELVES

I HAVE OFTEN BEEN described as self-contained-a description used as often as a compliment as a criticism. Still, in the winter of 2000, after surviving a near-fatal illness, I began examining my life a little more closely. After all, there is nothing like understanding one’s mortality to pique one’s interest in living a better life. I began where I always have—with myself—but this time I was able to understand more clearly the relationships and other external factors that made me happy, sad, need more, care or care less.

One of my best friends always says, People do who they are. I am a program analyst by profession, so true to form, I found myself jotting down my thoughts, researching and analyzing facts about things that came to mind during this period. As crazy as it sounds I began to understand that I am truly connected to the world around me in a much more fundamental way than I had ever perceived before. I began to carefully listen to my inner voices.

Of all the definitions I have found for the word monologue, the one I like best is one voice. Contained in this writing are the many moods or voices of me. Some are high maintenance, high-strung, and high fashion; some are maternal and nurturing; and some are withdrawn and self-contained. To quote Chaka Khan, I’m Every Woman.

Like most women, I am complex. Our decision-making processes are multifaceted. For example, examine for a moment the number of decisions that go into what to wear for a Friday girls’ night out. When I first start planning, I might be feeling sexy—that means that hot black dress with the new Jimmy Choos. By the end of the day I’m tired and have considered being cold in the black dress and balancing on those new shoes. The practical me kicks in, and the outfit in my mind changes to the black velvet jeans with the silver top and my favorite black BCBG heels. By the time I push my way through rush-hour traffic in the rain, the homebody me kicks in, and the thought of leaving my warm house, comfortable bed, home-cooked meal, and sole possession of the remote control is out of the question. I call and cancel. These multiple moods are what I refer to as my selves.

Here, I will introduce you to each of my selves one at a time: Zee, Lia, Naomi, and Chloe. Alongside these selves there are monologues, little-known truths and honest-to-God facts. Some things are well connected, but others are just interesting, food for thought, or random. All of these things are here to in some way help connect my truth with the world around me. Also evident in this work is the fact that I am a woman of faith. I make no apology for it and only mention it for your consideration.

It is my most sincere hope that in this sharing you will find courage, meaning, the strength