Two Years!

Honoring and bearing witness to lives well lived is how I spend my days. Almost exactly two years ago, while recovering from a broken foot, I began helping people write their memoirs. I’ve never looked back. It’s a pleasure to spend time with my clients and help them document the most meaningful parts of their lives. My 20+ years of work in corporate communications has served me well.

Some highlights of the last two years include:

• Getting to know 102-year-old Bea Rudney, who “bikes to nowhere” on her stationary bike every day, rain or shine!

• Helping a 90-year-old San Francisco woman recognize how much her big heart has improved the lives of her family members and through the causes she supports in Canada and Israel.

• Collaborating on a leadership book with Northwestern Kellogg School of Business Professor Gail Darlow, who simultaneously kicked cancer to the curb while we worked on Unraveling Dualities: Finding Peace in Paradox. I also beamed with pride watching Gail speak on her book at Kellogg’s Women’s Executive Summit last fall.

• Writing the memoir of a friend’s mother, a woman who is one of the most engaging and interesting people I have ever met.

• Talking with many others about their memoirs and referring them to writers and resources that better match their time-frame or budget.

These clients-now-friends have taught me about the Greatest Generation and the impact that advancements in modern medical practices have had on both longevity and quality of life. Antibiotics anyone?! We have spent more time talking about Chinese food that I ever thought possible, not that I’m complaining! This is an important topic as are Academy Award nominees, cults, and reconciling what you see in the mirror with how young you feel.

Two years ago I could not have imagined that my clients’ stories would embed themselves so deeply in my mind and that many of my clients would become friends. How lucky am I?!