Kia ora,
How’s that memoir of yours coming along this week?
I get so inspired by the people I’m guiding to write their stories.
Yesterday I took a monthly community memoir class and one person shared a funny, surprising, moving story that was built around her love of the humble banana box.
Through a series of significant life events she’d developed an attachment to them. They’d helped her move, held precious objects and remained sturdy throughout her whole life. And it wasn’t an easy life, which was the richer story that emerged around her deep appreciation for banana boxes.
Can you think of an object you’ve grown attached to, that you could build a story around? Do you think it could be an interesting carrier of a deeper story?
And speaking of stories, do you have a Christmas story you’d like to share? Send it my way if you do (with a pic if you have one) and I’ll share it with readers of this newsletter. Here’s one from Cathy in Brisbane:
One evening, as the fairy lights flashed, Tabby launched herself at the Christmas tree, shot up the central branch and buried herself, head and shoulders up the skirt of the fairy at the top of the tree. The tree shook violently, glass baubles clanged, the fairy lights flashed and the fairy at the top of the tree gained a large furry bum with an angry swishing tail! Leaping into action my father grabbed the tree which was threatening to topple at any second. Nigel and I were hysterical with laughter. “For God’s sake, shut up the pair of you! Catherine, get the bloody cat!” my father bellowed. Tabby did not want to be “got” she lashed out with razor sharp claws. With my father continuing to clutch valiantly at the tree, mum and I managed to manhandle Tabby from the tree, out of the loungeroom and into the hall, slamming the door behind her. “Right!” said my father as he straightened up the tree, his clothes, and smoothed down his hair, “Keep that bloody cat out of here!” Nigel and I said nothing, we couldn’t, we were too busy sucking our cheeks in, trying not to laugh. “Just look at all those pine needles on the carpet.” said my mother in an irritated tone as she stomped off to fetch the carpet sweeper.
Thanks Cathy! Love that photo! Cats and Christmas trees are never a good combo! And I happen to know that Cathy’s up to at least 100,000 words in her story and has been chipping away at it for a few years (partly using this newsletter to help her, which is pretty cool!).
Where ever you’re up to with your life story, memoir or history, I hope you keep taking one step at a time with it. It’ll be worth it – for you, your family and future generations!
Have a great week,
Charlotte x
Charlotte Squire 