So if I were to write my story, what would it be about? All the good bits—as I’ve jokingly threatened? Or would I fill pages with fear, abandonment, and the longing for something that seemed just out of reach? Or pure joy? Everything feels true, but how much wraps up this one glorious adventure of being alive on a planet spinning in space?
If each word were a precious thought floating through the Universe in a bottle, which words would I choose? How would you choose? The prospect would be daunting. And this early morning, it is.
If I were limited to three words what would they be? What if they were written in invisible ink and could only ring out for two minutes before fading to white? Would it be the same as the old words scratched in stone? “I was here?” “Love is all?” “Don’t try this.” Or “Hold my beer?”
It would not be a manual on how to live a perfect human life in the age of information. It would be about unexpected joy, serendipity, mistakes, lessons, passion, reverence, irreverence, and luck. The illusion of controlling our journey beyond picking up one foot before the other. It would not sail smoothly from the first page. It would stumble and get confused, but whole heartedly declare something. If I were to write my story, what would it be about?
Maybe it would be a smattering of flashbacks strewn haphazardly across a paper book that someone left on a park bench…
in the Fall….
Somewhere
….in the Ozarks.
How about “Laugh every day?” Certainly good advice. “Feed feral cats” may be closer to the story of my life at present, however – but, they often make me laugh so it evens out.
Emily, Your three word choices are great!
I feel very good about working on my memoirs. I am limiting them to 8 years of my life (1977-1985). Whenever I work on it, it’s a bit odd because I find myself back in that time and yet still in this time. I hope you do it. Just jump in and you’ll find your voice and your method. It’s a wonderful experience whether or not you “finish” it, but if you do, I know many people will want to read it.
I started my process back around 2007, I think, when I looked through my journals and started typing the parts I thought were interesting and relevant into my computer (there were a lot of irrelevant parts and many that just sounded dumb!). I also illustrated some stories with lyrics from my songs. Then I started filling in the (many) gaps of the story with present day narrative. I printed out some copies and showed them to trusted friends, who encouraged me to keep at it. I hadn’t worked on it for a few years, when I decided to work on it in earnest this year and each time I finished a chapter, I posted it to a facebook page I created for that purpose (link below).
Do it Crow!
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090021304330
Oh thank you, Ky. I love hearing about your journey with memoirs.