I first learned about Thomas Merton’s Seeds of Contemplation while watching writer, Sue Monk Kidd, who in an interview began speaking quite passionately apropos how personally impactful Merton’s writing was. While neither my initial nor subsequent readings of this book would invoke in me the life-shifting change Kidd’s clearly had ignited within her, still one rather concise, yet profound statement really helped me to make better sense of the very personal-private, internal tussle I contend with as a burgeoning writer being beckoned to higher consciousness. Merton writes, “Everyone is plagued by an illusory person – a false self.”