Creative’s Q&A with Dawn Levitt

The Art of Second Chance: Creativity, Survival, and the Stories That Connect Us

Creativity isn’t just about making something beautiful, it’s about meaning, making sense of life, and making space for others to do the same. Today’s featured creative, Dawn Levitt, understands this at a level most of us will never have to.

A two-time heart transplant recipient, she writes from a place where life, death, and everything in between have knocked at her door. And still, she welcomes us in with honesty, humor, and an unwavering sense of purpose.

She writes about healing (not just the physical, but the emotional and societal wounds we carry) with a clarity that doesn’t shy away from pain but always leaves room for hope. Her essays and poetry have appeared in Newsweek, The Bucket, Insider Magazine, and numerous literary anthologies. Through her Substack, From My Heart to Yours, she shares stories of survival, healing, and the small, everyday joys that remind us why we fight so hard to keep going.

Dawn’s writing doesn’t just exist… it insists. On being seen, on being heard, on making sure no one facing hardship feels alone in it. Whether writing about healthcare access, systemic inequities, or the many ways nature connects, Dawn invites us to see the world with both a sharp eye and an open mind.

What I Love About Dawn

Dawn has a unique authoritive compassionate honesty that makes her writing stand out. Her words rally, soothe, challenge, and remind you why it all matters. She doesn’t sugarcoat, but she doesn’t harden either. There’s a balance in her storytelling, a rhythm of truth and tenderness that makes you lean in.

I just love how present she is. In her writing, in the world. She notices the way frost catches the morning sun and the way people fight over cereal prices while bigger battles rage unseen. She shares herself fully, from the weight of survival to the joy of a dog curled up close (hello Gidget and Bruce!).

On the regular, Dawn’s words lift my spirits and motivate me to stand on business. I always walk away from her posts and writing with something to hold onto. And I, for one, am grateful for that.

Let’s Dive In!

Q&A with Dawn

1. What’s a moment from your life that you’ve turned into creative gold, whether through writing, art, or simply the way you’ve reframed it for yourself?

There are many such moments, but the most vivid example would be my two heart transplants and the near-death experiences that accompanied them. There is an epiphany that comes with surviving the most harrowing experiences and finding the surprise of life on the other side of sorrow.

2. If your writing or art were a mirror, what truths has it reflected back to you lately?

I think the universal truth of my writing as a mirror is seeing that although I am one person, we are all interconnected as human beings. I do not experience pain alone. If others suffer, I suffer. Likewise, I do not experience joy alone. It reminds me to share that joy in hopes of alleviating the suffering around me. To quote Emily Dickinson,

"If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain."

3. What’s a piece of creative work that feels like a mirror to your soul?

There are so many options, I don't know where to begin. For a song, my theme song has always been "Shot in the Dark" by Ozzy Osbourne from his 1985 album "Ultimate Sin." I was in high school when it was released, and it has always stuck with me. For a painting, there are many works by Frida Kahlo. I would have to choose "The Two Fridas" her 1939 painting done after her divorce.

There are so many books I don't think I could choose just one. If one were to think of the self as a diamond, or cubic zirconia, and each facet would be represented by a different book, I think that I would need an entire library to answer that question.

4. When do you feel most alive in your creative process? Describe it as though it were a scene in a story.

I feel most alive in my creative process when I don't realize I'm creating at all. Usually, I'm sitting at my desk with my little dog in her bed behind my chair and the fireplace blazing in the winter months. A cup of Earl Grey tea rests on the coaster to the right of my laptop. I'm engrossed in what I'm writing to the point that I'm no longer in the room. My chair is empty. The tea cools without me. My dog snores. The keys click without conscious effort, and the words populate the screen as if telepathically flowing from my mind. On those days, I can produce thousands of words that require little editing. Just some spell checking. Other days, I'm chiseling words from granite.

5. If you had to name the chapter of your life that you’re in now, what would it be called?

Denouement.
The big climactic things have already happened. My corporate career is over. The transplants are behind me, but new health issues keep me from embarking on any grand adventure. Now is the time to rest, allowing my nervous system to finally reset after decades stuck in fight or flight - usually fight to the death. I'm tying up loose ends, writing my poems and stories, seeking connection with others. This is the time for me to do all the things I wanted to do when life kept getting in the way.

Dawn’s reflections remind us that life isn’t just about survival, it’s about meaning, connection, and bearing witness to both the struggle and the joy. Her words share experiences that extend a hand, offering solidarity, perspective, and the quiet assurance that none of us are in this alone. I’m honored to share her Q&A today, and I hope you walk away from it with something that lingers. Something worth holding onto.

If you’d like to follow her work and connect further, you can find her here:

Substack: @2HeartCore4U
Website: dawnlevittauthor.com
Bluesky: @2HeartCore4U

Thank you for stopping by you beautiful creative!
As always, I love yo face!
MJ

P.S. I’d love to hear your thoughts! What stood out to you about Dawn and her creative journey? Leave a comment below and join the conversation. Let’s celebrate creativity together!

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