Hello, heart? Is that you?

March 24, 2026

One of my all time mentors is Vivien Hillgrove, film editor and hilarious wise woman. She’s worked with many filmmaking greats: Francis Coppola, Phil Kaufman, Milos Forman, Walter Murch, and celebrated documentary filmmakers Lourdes Portillo and Deann Borshay Liem. In the mid ‘90s Vivien edited my documentary Yakoana: The Voice of Indigenous Peoples. I got to spend months and months with her, culling wisdom from 28 hours of interviews with Native Peoples. Under Vivien’s keen guidance, we wove a declaration of human rights, environmental wisdom and spiritual perspective from tribal leaders the world over.

Now Vivien has her own kick-ass documentary Vivien’s Wild Ride. It’s about her loosing her sight and as a film editor, reimagining belonging and what it means to see. It’s awe-inspiring. You can watch it on PBS here: watch Vivien’s Wild Ride on PBS.

I call her Vivalini Fettacini Alfredo and she calls me Anhy Wanhy Doodle All Day. We get on the phone and laugh our heads off together.

Vivo was telling me the other day about the importance of being vulnerable. Which is a twist because I spend most of my waking hours thinking about how to appear invincible, strong, not able to be hurt by anyone. I don’t know why Vivo was bringing this up. It was kinda out of the blue. But when Vivien says anything, I listen because it’s either super wise or pee-in-your-pants hilarious. I like (and need) both.

“But Vivien, I don’t even think I know what being vulnerable means.”

“It means you speak from the heart, honey, without planning what you’re going to say first. It’s not from the mind; it’s not rehearsed.”

Vivien says it takes a ton of courage to be vulnerable and speak from the heart. It’s the opposite of weakness. She seems to think that any of us brave enough to do so will move the needle in ourselves and maybe in our communities in a way that is healing, honest, bonding. I think she’s on to something.

I don’t often think about what my heart would say. I’m too busy using this brain of mine – working it to appear clever, funny, smart, to win an argument, to suss things out. I don’t think I even listen to my heart much… Except if it really really really hurts.

I’m astonished to learn this about myself. I think I gotta shift this and listen to/speak from my heart more. What would it say? How would people react? I’m not really sure but Imma try.

Thanks Vivo…. Here’s to heart speak.

Love,

Anh

PS: What’s your sweet heart saying?