Sole Witness by Roya Nava

Have you ever found something you made —And had no memory of making it?I found a letter twelve days before I turned fifty.I wrote it when I was fifteen.A month after arriving in Canada.In Farsi — because I didn’t have English words yetfor what I was feeling.She wrote of sadness, loneliness, profound feelings of invisibility.I don’t remember being her.But she kept everything.Every painting. Every poem. Every midnight letter.While her mind was forgetting the darkness —her hands were keeping the record.At sixteen in English she wrote:“The night is black BUT it holds all the colourful things inside.”She wrote BUT because she was hoping.I answer her AND it holds all the colourful things inside.Because I’m fifty now.And I know what she was making in the dark.Is there something in a box somewhere —something your hands kept —that your memory has let go of?I’m Roya Nava.And Everyone deserves to be truly seen.Come join the full conversation in the comments.Related articles for this podcast: See the Googoosh paintings and my reflection on those here» This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit royanava.substack.com

Have you ever tried to walk away from something —And found it had already followed you?At nineteen—I watched Pride and Prejudice.And I felt something so profound—I sewed an Elizabeth Bennet dress from a bedsheet.By hand. No pattern.Because the feeling had nowhere else to go.I have been making things my whole life because of feelings like that.Poems. Stories. Paintings. Music.All of it—private.All of it—in boxes.I never felt the need to share any of it.Until this story.Because this one wouldn’t go back in the box.I tried.It was born from losing people I loved—And people I had never met but grieved anyway.And it turned into a trilogy about a woman—Who spends forty years loving someone—She was never officially allowed to lose.Have you ever had that?The thing that wouldn’t go back in the box?The making—the saying—the sharing—That arrived before you were ready?I’m Roya Nava. Everyone deserves to be truly seen. Come join the full conversation. Link in bio. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit royanava.substack.com

Sole Witness Intro, what is it, who am I and why now:)I came here to tell you about my books.Somehow this happened instead.And honestly? It feels more like what I was supposed to do all along.I’m Roya Nava. Author. Mom. Wife. Daughter. Sister. And most of all — a human trying to figure out this life one reflection at a time.This is Sole Witness.For the woman who has spent her whole life being everything every room required of her — and has forgotten what it feels like to be truly seen.It started with a trilogy. But it was never really about the books.It was always about the questions underneath them.You will hear my voice crack. You will see me fumble. I’m not cutting all of that out — because that’s what being witnessed actually looks like.Not perfect. Not polished. Just real.If you are a master of acting fine — and have forgotten what it feels like to be truly seen — welcome.I’m glad the box couldn’t hold it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit royanava.substack.com