Three Hearts

I co-facilitate a writers' group for senior citizens twice a month. During one of our Tuesday meetings, I read the following piece for them to critique.

I heard it said once that every one has three hearts. The first heart is the one kept in the mouth. This is the heart one shares with all of the strange world. The second heart is found in the chest. This is the heart known only to those one loves and trusts. Then, there is the third heart. This heart is a mystery, hidden outside of one's self or deep within, that one spends their life trying to find. I catch glimpses of this third heart of mine in blank pages of paper. I try and write what I see and this third heart grows more elusive.

"It's good, but it's not finished," one of the women said. "I mean, are you ever going to find your third heart?" I

smiled. "I sure hope so."