On a Happier Note. . .
We had a visit from my oldest (as in, I’ve known her since kindergarten) friend, Barbara (DeCamp) Hammach and her husband Bill and very cool teenaged kids, Jamie and Libby. They live in Chicago and I hadn’t seen them in 7 years. Too long! Here we are (with one of John’s art photographs behind us). Barb and I used to set up obstacles in her back yard and jump over them, neighing, pretending we were horses. We had fairs in my yard, giving the neighborhood kids wheelbarrow rides, etc, to make money for the cancer society. And most notably, I dared her to drink sand, which she did. It wasn’t pretty!
We were Brownies together, got in trouble together, dated the same guy (not at the same time, though). Wow, was he a jerk. We also saw the Beatles together in Atlantic City, 1964. We remember everything differently, though, which doesn’t bode well for the memoir I’m writing. LOL.
Isn’t it great to have old friends?
It’s always fun to see friends from childhood days and remember all the good times…after your WIP day yesterday I think the timing was perfect that Barbara stopped by to see you…I love John’s art/photo behind you!!…he is SOOOOO talented…I think he should be doing art festivals…..(-:
Remember when writing a MEMOIR it is how YOU remember it-how you reflect upon what happened-not others…
When we read memoirs-we must remember that.
When we write them-we must remember that.
I thought it was funny when one of the readers of my column emailed me, “Where on earth did you go to high school-I don’t remember it being that great…” Well-I replied, “It is in one’s perspective.” To you-you hated it…I loved it…
That is what happens in my writing grad classes when I write about my divorce and my mother’s death…it’s what I remember about what happened.
WE all know that if five people see an accident–the details will be retold in five different ways.
Keep writing…Memoirs are a great way of “getting the past” out…
I know when I read my personal essays in my classes (small groups), I can sometimes not get through them without weeping. It is the same with my own students-therefore, I permit them to read to a Best friend and not in groups…
Brenda
>>it is how YOU remember it-how you reflect upon what happened-not others…
Correct… When I write about my mother’s dying-it is how it affected me-others don’t see it the same way…when I write about my divorce-no one can understand IN THE SAME way or remember the facts the same…
When I was a little girl, I was burned severely…I am sure when I write about it-that some things were not exactly as others remembered-it is how I reflect upon what happened.
This is not the same as some authors do when they lie on purpose about the past…that is entirely different…
Yours will be great…