When my eldest son was in 8th grade, his history teacher assigned the class an oral history project: they were to interview a person who was engaged in World War Two. My son chose my father. My dad escaped the Nazis with his parents; the majority of his family was not...
One of the things I love about spending time with your own story is that it helps you understand things — and see them in a new way. Last week on the blog, I talked about a time in my life that I remembered as one of hurt and anger, but as I explored it in writing, I...
There are people in my life that I miss. But I still feel connected to them through their stories. Remembering their stories, and sharing them as well, keeps them close to my heart. We’re approaching the end of October and the beginning of November — a time in which...
Have you ever heard a song and suddenly found yourself back in a particular moment in your life, noticing the smells and sounds, and particular colors and textures around you? Music has a way of bringing us back. Smells do too. These kind of memory triggers may come...
“What did you do on your summer vacation?” is a classic back to school essay. But what if you could breathe a little fun and life into it and make it meaningful and memorable? Think of it as a way to share a family story. You kids can write a story in their words —...