Steve Ghikadis's Blog: From the Heart

When I first decided to write a book, I was full of ideas and opinions, ready to pour them all onto the page. The original title? Midlife Musings from a Sarcastic Secular Humanist. Catchy, right? Or so I thought.

Then, one day, a friend of mine—another author—gave me some brutally honest feedback. She told me, “You’ve got this all wrong.” She didn’t sugarcoat it, and honestly, I’m glad she didn’t. She explained that it sounded scattered and unfocused, like I was just venting rather than creating something meaningful. She encouraged me to take a step back and think hard about what I really wanted to say.

I’d be lying if I said it didn’t sting a little. Her words made me question whether I even wanted to keep going. But after some time (and probably too much coffee), I started to really think about what I wanted this book to be. It wasn’t just a collection of sarcastic rants; it was about humanism and how it shapes the way I see life, love, family, and friends.

One day, I was having a conversation about humanism, and I said, “It really just comes from the heart.” And then it clicked. Humanism from the Heart. It was so obvious that I couldn’t believe I hadn’t seen it before. Suddenly, everything fell into place.

The title gave the book a purpose. What started as a list of rants transformed into meaningful chapters exploring the values that matter most to me. It became about connection, compassion, and finding a sense of belonging in a world that doesn’t always make it easy.

Looking back, I’m grateful for that tough love from my friend. It pushed me to dig deeper and create something I’m proud of. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned from this experience, it’s that sometimes you need to let go of what you *think* is good to find what truly resonates.

Thank you for being part of this journey. It really does come from the heart.