Notes of the meeting 9/27/19
On Friday evening, 9/27/19, fifteen of us gathered with Susan Rudnick's guiding us in a collaborative memoir process. Susan invited us to focus on a time in the past when we received a call, an email, or some communication that was thrilling and perhaps changed our lives.
We then joined one another in telling our stories, listening to the stories of others, then telling their stories as though they were our own, and of course hearing our stories told by another. Susan guided us through this process simply and beautifully. We then were invited to write our stories. She led us in our deeper focusing toward knowing our story and finding our truth in writing.
Our discussion after this process revealed how our stories had changed and deepened after hearing them told, however imperfectly, by another. Everyone seemed to discover something new from this focusing, sharing and reflection process.
Susan then read a brief excerpt from her memoir EDNA'S GIFT How My Broken Sister Taught Me to Be Whole. The excerpt was from the perspective of herself as a 6 year old trying to understand the nature of her sister's "handicap." During the discussion Susan said in her learning to write a memoir, "you can make it up as long as you tell the truth." The truth is the Felt Sense that knows.
The evening concluded with Susan's signing books and the group's enjoying refreshments together.
Prepared and submitted by
Cynthia Callsen
On Friday evening, 9/27/19, fifteen of us gathered with Susan Rudnick's guiding us in a collaborative memoir process. Susan invited us to focus on a time in the past when we received a call, an email, or some communication that was thrilling and perhaps changed our lives.
We then joined one another in telling our stories, listening to the stories of others, then telling their stories as though they were our own, and of course hearing our stories told by another. Susan guided us through this process simply and beautifully. We then were invited to write our stories. She led us in our deeper focusing toward knowing our story and finding our truth in writing.
Our discussion after this process revealed how our stories had changed and deepened after hearing them told, however imperfectly, by another. Everyone seemed to discover something new from this focusing, sharing and reflection process.
Susan then read a brief excerpt from her memoir EDNA'S GIFT How My Broken Sister Taught Me to Be Whole. The excerpt was from the perspective of herself as a 6 year old trying to understand the nature of her sister's "handicap." During the discussion Susan said in her learning to write a memoir, "you can make it up as long as you tell the truth." The truth is the Felt Sense that knows.
The evening concluded with Susan's signing books and the group's enjoying refreshments together.
Prepared and submitted by
Cynthia Callsen