Magical Memoir Moments
Paying Life Forward: Memoir and Mentorship
When I was twelve years old, my family moved from a farm we rented in Manheim, Penna., to the “home place,” the farm my parents bought from my grandparents. That move, I now recognize, changed my life. I went from being a moderately engaged student trying to fit in with a social crowd to being…
After the Children Drive Away: Memoir in the Form of a Poem
This week I offer you two pictures and one poem. When the Children Leave Home The children are no longer children. They live far away. When they leave, so soon, again, I do the vacuuming. I pick up the white fluffy polar bear, take the Pat the Bunny book downstairs where it will wait…
Simplicity: A Very Short Mennonite Memoir
“The more we have, the less we own.” Meister Eckhart I grew up in a simpler age, the 1950’s. We lived on a 100-acre dairy farm. We were Mennonite. I should know all about simplicity, right? Of course, it’s not that simple. Recently someone asked for advice on how to simplify his life. In turn,…
Dancing With Change — A Memoir About Parting
Today is the first day of the last week of taking care of Owen in Brooklyn. As I get ready to walk to Owen’s house, I am filled with gratitude and a little grief. Yesterday I took a walk in the park — Ft. Greene Park — on what might have been our last sunny…
How to Balance Writing with Facebook, Blogging, and Twitter
While I draft memoir chapters about growing up Mennonite, I am also writing to you, the friends of this blog, and to others on my facebook page and twitter feed. Is it worth it to spend my time this way? Sometimes I wonder. A few weeks ago, I was asked by a friend of this…
From Fired to Fired Up: Three Waves of Transformation
Did you know that, according to a Gallup Poll, only 32 percent of all employees can say “yes” to this statement: “At work I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day.” Are you one of the 32 percent or one of the 68 percent? Perhaps you have been excited about…
Charles R. Hale: New York Storyteller Who Knows How to Polish and Publish Memorable Stories
Meet the most famous Charlie online. If you have never met him before, you’re in for a treat. If you know him well, go ahead and click one more time. He’s the archetypal kid brother, using what he’s got to surprise his older brother. I have watched this video at least five times. I’m in…