Theme 3: The Where?

Don’t get it right. GET IT WRITTEN!

Now we’re going to ask about significant places in the life you’re recording. We’re interested in the physical locations that are memorable and important. We also touch on where the person is in terms of other aspects of life.

This theme makes it very easy to take a long meander down memory lane, but don’t go there – yet!

Short and relevant answers only.

Less is still more at this stage.

Exercise 1

Where were you born?  
What’s your first memory of a place?  
What’s the most striking thing about that place?  
How does that memory make you feel?  
Where in the world have you lived in your life?  
Where in the world have you visited?  
Where would you like your life to end?  
Where do you live now?  
Where is your favourite place to live?  
What makes it your favourite?  
What makes it your favourite?  
Where do you feel most at home?  
Where is your happy place?  
One a scale of 1 -10 where are you in terms of health, wealth, and happiness?  
Where so you want to be on that scale?  
Where do you plan to be in 1 year and 5 years?  
Where does your mind go when you daydream?  
At what point in your life did you feel at your very best?  

 

Exercise 2

  • Once you’ve recorded those basic details, you need to start to put them into sentences.
  • You don’t need anything other than the most basic information at this stage.
  • Resist the temptation to dig deeper or add embellishments!

If you are writing your own story, it will look something like this.

FIRST-PERSON NARRATIVE

I was born in Cork, Ireland but my first memory of a place is our family home in Braemor Rd in Dublin ***

There are very happy memories associated with that house, but some very sad ones too. ***

Throughout my life I’ve moved around a lot ***and have lived in counties Cork, Dublin, Wicklow, Galway, Donegal. I also spent about 10 months working in Manchester. ***

I travelled around Ireland and visited England, Scotland, Wales, France, Belgium, Tenerife, USA, Canada, Australia.

I envisage ending my days sitting in a garden, soaking up the sun, listening to the sound of children playing. ***

At the moment, I live in Galway. Of all the places I’ve lived, it’s my favourite because I live my work here and the pace of life suits me. ***

My favourite place to visit is definitely Australia because of the family there. ***

I feel most at home anywhere I can be surrounded by family and good friends.?

My happy place is definitely Rosadale.***

My health is pretty good. I could be doing better financially and I’m reasonably happy at the moment. *** There is plenty of room for improvement in all areas! ***

This time next year, I’d like to be free to go where I like. In 5 year’s time I plan to have the freedom to be, do and have what I want, whenever I want! ***

When I’m daydreaming, my mind wanders to Rosadale. ***

Physically, I think I was at my best in my mid-20’s ***but I have grown and matured and earned a lot of wisdom since then. ***

I have no desire to go back to my 20’s but I would like some more of that physical energy and strength back.

If you’re writing somebody else’s story, it will look something like this.

Once again, we’ll assume that you’re telling my story based on the answers given in the First-Person Narrative.

THIRD-PERSON NARRATIVE

Eileen was born in Cork, Ireland but her first memory of a place is her family home in Braemor Rd in Dublin ***

She has very happy memories associated with that house, but some very sad ones too. ***

Eileen has moved around a lot throughout her life. *** She has lived in counties Cork, Dublin, Wicklow, Galway, Donegal. She also spent about 10 months working in Manchester. ***

Canada, Australia.

Of all the places she’s been, she envisages ending her days sitting in a garden, soaking up the sun, listening to the sound of children playing. ***

At the moment, Eileen lives in Galway. Of all the places she’s lived, it’s her favourite because she loves her work here and the pace of life suits her. ***

Her favourite place to visit is definitely Australia because of the family there. ***

She feels most at home anywhere she can be surrounded by family and good friends.?

Her happy place is without doubt Rosadale.***

Her health is pretty good but she feels she could be doing better financially.  She’s reasonably happy at the moment but feels that there is plenty of room for improvement in all areas! ***

This time next year, she’d like to be free to go where she likes. In 5 years time she plans to have the freedom to be, do and have what she wants, whenever she wants! ***

When Eileen is daydreaming, her mind wanders to Rosadale. ***

Eileen thinks she was at her physical best in her mid-20’s *** but she is happy to have grown and matured and earned a lot of wisdom since then. ***

She has no desire to go back to her 20’s but would like some more of that physical energy and strength back.

Exercise 3   Mark and rank significant story points in the narrative.

A life remembered lives forever…