Last Saturday was a beautiful fall day at The Clearing in Door County where thirty of us gathered for my annual one-day writing workshop that I call “Writing From Your Life.” Plenty of fall color. The waters of Green Bay were deep slate; the birch still showed some yellow and the sky was clear and blue.
The writers gathered to share stories—stories of early memories, of first toys, of growing up, of first jobs for pay, of joyous moments and many not as joyous as a few tears fell. These writers of several generations filled pages with tales from their lives—stories long forgotten, by some at least.
They shared their tales with each other and laughed and nodded knowingly, for though the details may have been different, the stories of each generation had many similarities as well.
Why do it? Why spend a gorgeous late autumn day writing stories? Because we are each a story, more accurately we are each a collection of little stories contributing to a larger one. Our stories make us human. When we forget our stories, we forget who we are.
THE OLD TIMER SAYS: It’s never too late to write down your stories.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
November 2, Cobb Library, 7:00 p.m. Old Farm
November 4-6, Dyersville, Iowa, National Farm Toy Show; Friday (5-8 p.m.), Saturday, (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.) and Sunday, (9 a.m. to 2 p.m.) (Signing various book titles).
November 12, Barnes and Noble, Racine, 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.
November 14, Elmbrook Historical Society annual meeting and dinner. 5:45. Horses and Barns (For Elmbrook Historical Society members and guests.)
December 3, Fireside Books, West Bend. 10-2:00, speaking at 11:00.
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