Have given long (as in YEARS) thought to the things calling out to be either completed or see significant progress before New Year's Eve 2016:
- Develop Values Vision Dreams – helping the aging, elderly & ancients connect to their current core values, compose a here & now vision statement, identify present-day dreams & ways to make them real
- Create a template around Cyber Access for the Technically Timid (CATT) ~ connecting folks who are tech challenged with a HUMAN who helps them fully utilize the wonders of the Digital Age without touching a keyboard
- Form a multi-faith Nurturing a 5th Commandment Mindset discussion group ~ what it means to honor our parents, the elderly, so that OUR lives may prosper. What's that all about, how is it lived?
- Self-publish The Velveteen Grammie, the first volume of Mom's Mindwalker e-mails ~ Katharine Reynolds Lockhart defined finding incredible personal courage in extreme old age. Her primitive form of blogging captured stories, opinions, commentaries written with humor & humility. Mom's words are a constant goad to do more.
- Draft rough outline for Badass Grandma, telling tales of my intensely challenged, wildly triumphant Mom
- Attend September’s National Center for Creative Aging Conference/Leadership Exchange & October’s Sage-ing International Conference
Sheez - looks like A LOT! But they've all been carefully pondered for a very long time, with business plans for making them so. And there is the fall-back of "or see significant progress by..."
The most intriguing thought for me right now is - What will be next in my queue? What's on deck for 2017?
In addition to rolling out Values Visions Dreams & working with CATT clients, writing Badass Grandma & self-publishing Of Beauty Rich & Rare, what new interest will be added to my "to do" list?
My sense is that 2017 will be a year of learning more about storytelling. My greatest passion is legacy building. Storytelling - compared to story writing - is an art about which I know very little.
Okay, I know a bit more about storytelling - especially as it relates to aging & the elderly - than perhaps the average person.
Throughout time, elders have been a clan's greatest storytellers. Sharing life stories is the WHY behind Cyber Access for the Technically Timid (CATT), which encourages people of all ages - especially the elderly - to share life experiences. The stories that make the most impact are typically the small tales, talking about brief moments, perhaps a sense of the world around us. Stories told in a group setting promotes connection, shared moments, makes people feel good.
Storytelling FOR the Aging & Elderly
My dear friend, Patricia Gallagher, was my introduction to storytelling for the elderly. She is brilliant! Through her, I've learned that the best stories aren't found in any collection or biographies of famous folks - their found in the faces, memories & imaginations of the people gathered around her. She goes in with a beautiful old quilt, a few props, then let stories spin out of them.
Unlike little ones, who often want to hear the same story told in the same way with all the same inflections & gestures in the same places - older people want to hear about regular folks, even downright ordinary ones. They'll enjoy the auditorium presentation on FDR or music from the '50s, but they'll feel transformed by the more intimate storytelling session that draws them in.
I am in awe of storytellers, like my friend & others who transform lives through connecting with stories. Storytelling for the elderly begins in story sharing within families.
That's my great interest. Helping families find ways to make storytelling part of their lives. My generation seems to have been the last one with fairly easy access to the stories of grandparents, older relatives & friends. These days, too few families gather for Sunday dinners & other regular shared moments. But how can we put Skpe to use, shared online story writing, photo swapping - make sure they are not only stored online but with good old-fashioned hard copies, too!
My nieces & nephews got to know their Granddad Lockhart & Uncle Ian through Mom's stories, along with tales of her own life. Whitney & Reynolds could count on hearing about waiting upstairs as a child, with Bets & Dot, besides themselves with excitement, waiting their father to start playing Joy To The World on the family baby grand piano, the signal for the Reynolds children to rush downstairs to the Christmas celebration,about the excruciatingly long wait as they had breakfast before going into the living room, filled to overflowing with a glorious tree, stockings & gifts. Am sure she shared similar tales with Scott & Karen on her many extended visits down to Australia.
How to make heritage stories - great & small, happy & sad, glorious & even tragic - part of today's "family unit" lifestyle is a challenge that's going to take a lot of effort by a lot of inspired folks to turn around!
~ ~ ~
It's wonderful when people can connect through stories. What if someone is challenged by dementia? Are they silenced?
Timeslips
The first time I met Anne Basting was in 2014, at my first National Center for Creative Aging (NCCA) Conference & Leadership Exchange. I emphasize the last two words, because exchanging ideas, experiences are the heart & soul of NCCA, especially at the annual conference. Ideas like Anne's Timeslips.
Timeslips is improvisational storytelling. Through using photos & other props, stories are drawn out of all ages, all levels of health, including dementia. Being part of the story-making is more powerful than certainly I ever imagined. Never thought about the importance - especially to people experiencing the lost-ness of dementia & Alzheimer's - of experiencing a beginning middle end.
Anne's Timeslips brings out boundless imagination rather than time-limited experience. The term that Anne uses to describe the power of Timeslips is "opening doors." People who can't remember but can imagine feel released, opening doors instead of experiencing another closed window, a light turned on instead of another turned off. "Forget memory - try imagination!"
~ ~ ~
StoryCorps Android App
Okay, this is something that's NEW to me. Since 2003, StoryCorps booths have popped up all over the country, capturing the "ordinary extraordinary" stories of every demographic. They won the 2014 TED award (a million dollars) with the wish of growing their digital archive of collected stories - their wish came true last year when they introduced their smartphone app.
At Thanksgiving, they invited us all to interview our elders. The folks behind the event were crestfallen when there was basically no activity throughout Thanksgiving weekend. Seems people were too busy to do their download - they actually ended up with over 50,000 personal stories!
As described in a super short video inviting EVERYONE to be part of The Great Thanksgiving Listen ~ ~ "We can find wisdom & poetry all around us - all we have to do is listen. This Thanksgiving, StoryCorps invites you to honor & celebrate the stories of an entire generation of Americans.
Together, we can create the largest collection of voices ever gathered in human history & preserve it at the Library of Congress forever.
With StoryCorps new app, you can record an interview with a grandparent or another elder. Ask simple questions, like "What are you most grateful for?" and "How do you want to be remembered?"
Then listen.
Truly listening to someone reminds them that their lives matter & reminds us all of what matters most."
Am NOT going to get hooked into learning more about what can be done with this amazing technology. Yes, Thanksgiving is coming... Maybe YOU'd like to take this particular ball & run with it!
~ ~ ~
TEDx
Best storytelling on the planet - this qualifies as a total no brainer! John & I have become TEDx groupies. If there's one in the area, from Solebury to Radnor to who knows how far, we're there. It costs NOTHING to be approved for sponsorship of a TEDx event & an an astonishing number of formats from which to choose. (A license IS required.)
For as long as Be Well Bakery & Cafe has existed, I've fantasized about having sort of TED-like talks there, featuring Academy & BACNC students faculty alums as presenters. And it turns out we can actually DO our very own TEDx events?! Beyond my wildest dreams.
As the website says, "TEDx was created in the spirit of TED's mission, 'ideas worth spreading.' It supports independent organizers who want to create a TED-like event in their own community." Oh, calm, my beating heart!
And no need to fret about drawing small crowds - the organizers want to keep TEDx audiences small, under 100 people.
Who do I need to connect with to make this HAPPEN in 2017? Who's waiting for a fire to be started under him or her to take this & make it happen? Gotta find them - know they're out there!
For as long as Be Well Bakery & Cafe has existed, I've fantasized about having sort of TED-like talks there, featuring Academy & BACNC students faculty alums as presenters. And it turns out we can actually DO our very own TEDx events?! Beyond my wildest dreams.
As the website says, "TEDx was created in the spirit of TED's mission, 'ideas worth spreading.' It supports independent organizers who want to create a TED-like event in their own community." Oh, calm, my beating heart!
And no need to fret about drawing small crowds - the organizers want to keep TEDx audiences small, under 100 people.
Who do I need to connect with to make this HAPPEN in 2017? Who's waiting for a fire to be started under him or her to take this & make it happen? Gotta find them - know they're out there!
~ ~ ~
STORYTELLING - what's next in my "to do" queue, what's on deck for 2017!
Credits
venturebeat.com
alexnoudelman.com
echostories.com
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