Blog archive
March 2024
Addressing The Needs of Older Adults Through Pasadena Village
03/25/2024
Coming Soon: More Resources for Older Americans, Online and in Person
03/25/2024
Community Building Locally and Nationally
03/25/2024
Preparing for the Future with Ready or Not
03/25/2024
Volunteering is at The Heart of the Village
03/25/2024
Women's Liberation: Then and Now
03/25/2024
Writing Memoirs Together
03/25/2024
Current Views on Current Events
03/20/2024
Unchained
03/18/2024
Rumr of Humor issue # 2409
03/10/2024
Blacks Portrayed by European Artists
03/03/2024
Rumor of Humor #2408
03/03/2024
February 2024
Caring for Ourselves and Each Other
02/27/2024
Doug Colliflower Honored
02/27/2024
Great Decisions Connects Us to the Worldwide Community
02/27/2024
Letter from the President
02/27/2024
Pasadena Village's Impact
02/27/2024
The Power of Touch
02/27/2024
Villages as a New Approach to Aging
02/27/2024
Addressing Gang Violence in Pasadena-Altadena
02/21/2024
Rumor of Humor Issue 2407
02/19/2024
Thank You For Caring.
02/12/2024
Rumor of Humor 2405
02/11/2024
Curve Balls
02/10/2024
Sylvan Lane
02/10/2024
Rumor of Humor 2404
02/09/2024
Larry Duplechan, Blacks in Film
02/03/2024
January 2024
Pasadena Village Joins Community Partners in Vaccination Campaign
01/29/2024
Rumor of Humor #2403
01/28/2024
Pasadena Village Joins Two Healthy Aging Resource Projects
01/25/2024
Decluttering: Do It Now
01/24/2024
Village Volunteers Contribute to the Huntington Magic
01/24/2024
Villagers Creating Community
01/24/2024
Villagers Reflect on Black History Month
01/24/2024
Walk With Ease, 2024
01/24/2024
Wide Ranging Discussion on Current Issues
01/22/2024
Wide Ranging Discussion on Current Issues
01/22/2024
Rumor of Humor # 2402
01/21/2024
Rumor of Humor # 2401
01/15/2024
Re- Entry Programs, a Personal Experience
01/08/2024
WRITING YOUR STORY
By Blog MasterPosted: 03/01/2022
Memoir Groups
Have you ever thought of writing down your life story? Perhaps to share with your kids, grandkids, or other loved ones? Has something held you back from doing so? If so, you may find that Pasadena Village's newest Affinity Group, “Writing Your Story”, is just what you are looking for. This group can help you record your significant and memorable family stories, and share that legacy with your loved ones. The group can also help keep you motivated. And it can give you the opportunity to share stories with other members of the group as you develop those stories together.
“Writing Your Story” is the third memoir group offered by the Village. The first such group (Group I) began years ago under the leadership of Norma Pratt, a Village member and trained facilitator. Group I met once a week for six weeks. At each session, Norma suggested a topic for the members to write about in preparation for the following session. The topics were only suggestions; the members were free to write about whatever they wanted. The initial topics were specific but not personal; they were intended just to get the group to start writing. (Some of the members had done little writing since their school years.) The group then began each session by reading what they had written. At first, some of the members were self-conscious about their writing. But their confidence grew with time under Norma's leadership. Norma refused to let anyone begin reading with “This isn’t very good, but. . .”
As the weeks progressed, the members of Group I became more and more comfortable with each other. At the end of the six-week session, the group had become so close that they decided to continue meeting, even though they were now without a leader. Group member Linda Stowitts says, “We had begun to write more personal pieces, and the sharing with each other has led to meaningful conversations and strong friendships. We are still together after eight years.”
Linda continues: “One of us is writing with an eye to publication. One has written more-or-less a chronology of his life. One of us is unable to write and read anymore but can tell a story orally. We all seem to be writing as a way to explore events of our lives and some of us are hoping the next generation will get to know some of our stories.”
As more members of the Village became interested in memoir writing, BJ Ledyard, a member of the Village, asked that a second group be formed. Group II started in June of 2019. Once again Norma Pratt graciously agreed to lead it. As for Group I, Norma suggested weekly topics for the members to write about. The members then read their writings in class. Group member LuCinda Haagenson describes Norma's style this way: “She didn’t criticize our writings, but gave them a nod of approval.”
Following in the footsteps of Group I, this group also continued to meet after Norma's departure.
LuCinda took on the role of coming up with weekly topics. She gleaned some of them from Michelle Obama's book, Becoming.
As the group evolved, its members began choosing their own topics. The goals of the group varied, from writing a family history, to exploring memories, to just exercising their writing skills. Once again, the group became quite close with time. LuCinda says, “Our group is very attached to the friendships formed over the sharing of our personal life stories. We are all each other’s best friends and no one wants to miss a meeting.” Group II continues to meet weekly via Zoom.
Opening a second group allowed for each group to remain small (6 to 8 members). Small groups allow time for each member to share what they've written and receive feedback at each meeting. Also, adding new members to an existing group can feel awkward, since the existing members have a history unfamiliar to newcomers.
Recently, the Village added a third group, “Writing Your Story”. BJ offered to lead, because, as she says, “I had such a good experience with Norma”. On her overall experience with the memoir groups, BJ lists some advantages: “Belonging to a memoirs group jogs one's memories. It enables getting to know people. Writing about painful things makes them less painful.” Finally, she adds: “For me, the group prompted a search for old letters temporarily lost over the years.”
Village member Ed Rinderle describes his experience writing his memoirs several years ago as follows:
“My primary goal was to provide information for my children on what it was like for me growing up in New Orleans in the 1950's. I enjoyed the process so much that I extended my writing to include my experiences in high school, college, moving to California, and working at JPL and PCC. The 'final' version turned out to be just over 40 pages. Since then, I have added a few paragraphs at the end of each year to bring the work up to date.”
Ed continues: “Writing my memoirs turned out to be quite revealing. I learned that I was writing not only to my kids, but also to myself. I found myself dealing with issues from my past in ways I had never done before. Soon after I completed my memoir, I began writing works of fiction based on actual events from my past. By doing so I was able to deal with my past in ways that helped my mental state. Composing this fictional account was a major turning point in my life – and it all started with writing my memoir. I am so glad that I took on that task.”
So, what do you think? Is memoir writing for you? If so, Group III will welcome you into their midst. And who knows . . . soon there may even be a Group IV.