Bloodlines: Odyssey of a Native Daughter As I read this book, I drew a family tree so I could keep better track of all the people. I’m not sure I could have absorbed the story without it. A family tree that only showed who-begat-whom didn't suffice. It matters, for instance, when there is an age gap of ten years between a person and the rest of her siblings. I found it … [Read more...] about Bloodlines
Trauma
What Did You Expect?
Often the pain of an interaction or an event is compounded by the fact that we know it never should have happened. We endure what occurs. We try to heal. But underneath it all, some part of our idea of how the world works has been shattered. This is very difficult to analyze and repair. Today in your writing practice, write about being hurt. You can write about a single … [Read more...] about What Did You Expect?
Your Expectations
When bad things happen, one of the things that makes them even worse is how much we had expected something different to happen. Other times, bad things happen just the way we expected. Write about one or more unfortunate things that have happened to you. But leave out all the details of what happened. Write what you had expected to happen. Begin each sentence with, "I … [Read more...] about Your Expectations
Setbacks and Calamities
No matter how well we might understand that life is unpredictable, we still make plans. We have dreams and desires. We have expectations. Whether it’s a set of lost keys or a sudden tragedy, things are always happening that knock us off course. And when they do, we have no choice but to keep going, because time only moves in one direction. Write about one time or several … [Read more...] about Setbacks and Calamities