The Life Story Writer
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  • The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely, or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quite alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy amidst the simple beauty of nature. …I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles.

    – Anne Frank

    Sunset Malaspina Gallery Park (1 of 1)
  • Away from the tumult of motor and mill

    I want to be care-free; I want to be

    still!

    I’m weary of doing things; weary of

    words

    I want to be one with the blossoms

    and birds.

    – Edgar A. Guest

    butterfly on lilac
  • There is something of the marvelous in all things of nature.

    – Aristotle

    arbutus tree reduced size
  • There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”

    – Albert Einstein

    Full moon Drumbeg Park May14 2014JH (1 of 1)
  • Look!
    Look!
    Look deep into nature and you will understand everything.

    – Albert Einstein

    Eagle (1 of 1)
  • Sunset Malaspina Gallery Park (1 of 1)

    The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely, or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quite alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy amidst the simple beauty of nature. …I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles.

    – Anne Frank

  • butterfly on lilac

    Away from the tumult of motor and mill

    I want to be care-free; I want to be

    still!

    I’m weary of doing things; weary of

    words

    I want to be one with the blossoms

    and birds.

    – Edgar A. Guest

  • arbutus tree reduced size

    There is something of the marvelous in all things of nature.

    – Aristotle

  • Full moon Drumbeg Park May14 2014JH (1 of 1)

    There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”

    – Albert Einstein

  • Eagle (1 of 1)

    Look!
    Look!
    Look deep into nature and you will understand everything.

    – Albert Einstein

Let’s begin the journey today!A Life Story is a Gift…

Shaw TV Interview – How I became the Life Story Writer

There is no greater gift than sharing the experiences and wisdom of a lifetime with family and friends.  How do family members know who they are if they don’t know where they came from – their roots? But the challenge is in getting started.

In his book On Writing Well author William Zinsser said:
One of the saddest sentences I know is “I wish I would have asked my mother about that. Or my father. Or my grandmother, or grandfather”…

It is sometimes difficult to write about yourself in a detached manner that provides an interesting read for others.  Many people put off this activity and never find the time. With some encouragement and a good guide, however, it can be a pleasant, rewarding journey to tell your own unique story.

I live on Southern Vancouver Island and can travel to record your memories of past events and the people who have made your life special.  In the comfort of your home this process will be relaxing and enjoyable. It will no doubt be fun too. We will add photos and special documents if applicable, and then we will have your story professionally printed. What a gift – for you, your family, the next generations, and friends – can you imagine holding the book in your hands, seeing it on your coffee table, in your bookcase, reading stories to your grandchildren?  It will be much cherished.

How often have you wished that your forebears had left written stories of their lives?  A family tree may appeal to some, and facts may appeal to others, but stories are how we get to know people and the times in which they lived.

You may not think you have led an exceptional life, but I am sure that through this process, you will end up thinking otherwise. You will have fun, perhaps shed some tears, and remember details you may have forgotten, but overall, you will be thankful that you made this journey into your past. It will be the creation of a special legacy for your sons and daughters, grandchildren and great grandchildren, or friends; they will be so grateful that your stories are preserved.  Don’t wait – give me a call and let’s get started.

Family and Friends
If you are a family member or friend, here’s the most special gift you will ever find for your loved one. Give the gift of a life story book to a beloved parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle or friend.

Retirement Gift
A book of photos and stories from coworkers makes an amazing and unique retirement gift.

Your Company History
Make it work for you! A short publication packed with personal anecdotes and interesting photographs can be an ideal gift for clients, and a wonderful coffee table book in your office. Highlighting projects and giving clients the opportunity to learn more about the special people who work on them can be a determining factor in developing trust. Posting the business memoir to your website will make your company stand out from all the rest!

  • “What an astonishing thing a book is.”

    Posted on June 9, 2014 by Janice Henshaw in Life Stories

    “What an astonishing thing a book is. It’s a flat object made from a tree with flexible parts on which are imprinted lots of funny dark squiggles. But one glance at it and you’re inside the mind of another person, maybe somebody dead for thousands of years. Across the millennia, an author is speaking clearly […]

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  • Nanaimo incinerator – Gabriola protesters say no way!

    Posted on April 11, 2014 by Janice Henshaw in Meditative Reflections and Photos

    A beautiful sunny day for a protest in downtown Nanaimo. Just under 200 people from Gabriola headed in by ferry to protest against the building of an incinerator at Duke Point to burn garbage from the lower mainland. Here are some of the people (and canine friends) who believe in standing up for fresh air.

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  • Autobiography, Biography, Life story, and Memoir – What is the difference?

    Posted on August 18, 2014 by Janice Henshaw in all posts, Life Stories

    Photo ©  Janice Henshaw Autobiography, Biography, Life story/Memoir – What is the difference? What do they mean? Autobiography – I write an account about my life, and it could consist of just my viewpoint and memories – it’s all about me! Biography – I write an account of someone else’s life – and most likely, […]

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  • What can you do when there’s nothing you can do?

    Posted on May 18, 2017 by Janice Henshaw in Meditative Reflections and Photos

    “It’s all love. It’s been very important to me personally to claim an inner freedom to love. I’ve had frustrating struggles trying to get others to love me or to receive my love. But no one can stop us from finding and feeling love inside ourselves. Love feeds us as it flows out of us. […]

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  • Walking on the earth

    Posted on January 14, 2018 by Janice Henshaw in Meditative Reflections and Photos

    “People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don’t even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the […]

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  • “The forest as a living cathedral”

    Posted on February 26, 2014 by Janice Henshaw in Meditative Reflections and Photos

    “I’ve often thought of the forest as a living cathedral, but this might diminish what it truly is. If I have understood Koyukon teachings, the forest is not merely an expression or representation of sacredness, nor a place to invoke the sacred; the forest is sacredness itself. Nature is not merely created by God; nature […]

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  • “Keep on – there are divine things…

    Posted on February 5, 2017 by Janice Henshaw in Meditative Reflections and Photos

    The earth is rude, silent, incomprehensible at first; Be not discouraged – keep on – there are divine things, well envelop’d; I swear to you there are divine things more beautiful than words can tell. ~ Walt Whitman As the snowflakes melt on your cheeks Let these words float inside you Never forget that our […]

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  • Freedom to change

    Posted on April 25, 2014 by Janice Henshaw in all posts, Meditative Reflections and Photos

    There are as many worlds as there are kinds of days, and as an opal changes its colors and its fire to match the nature of a day, so do I.” ― John Steinbeck

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  • If, if, if….Good news, You will still be OK!

    Posted on December 30, 2015 by Janice Henshaw in Meditative Reflections and Photos

    “P.S. You’re not going to die. Here’s the white-hot truth: if you go bankrupt, you’ll still be okay. If you lose the gig, the lover, the house, you’ll still be okay. If you sing off-key, get beat by the competition, have your heart shattered, get fired…it’s not going to kill you. Ask anyone who’s been […]

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  • A worthwhile goal for 2017

    Posted on January 11, 2017 by Janice Henshaw in Meditative Reflections and Photos

    A life lived with kindness is worth living, our hearts feel deeper and more connected because kindness is contagious. Smile, hug, listen, help others, be polite nurture a spirit of generosity, be Kind, instead of right Simple things… We can expect our gifts of kindness to warm the hearts of those close by and reach […]

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  • The life of a bunny – worth trading for a day?

    Posted on March 14, 2015 by Janice Henshaw in all posts, Meditative Reflections and Photos

    “It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn’t use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like “What about lunch?” ― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh I agree – some days it all seems a bit too complicated, in so many ways, especially around income tax time. Last week I passed this little guy […]

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  • Risk Anything!

    Posted on March 11, 2016 by Janice Henshaw in all posts, Meditative Reflections and Photos

    “Risk anything! Care no more for the opinion of others … Do the hardest thing on earth for you. Act for yourself. Face the truth.” ― Katherine Mansfield If we risked everything to create a world that respected the fragile limits of our home, our planet, its people and living things, it may well be […]

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  • Looking for the light

    Posted on October 21, 2013 by Janice Henshaw in all posts, Meditative Reflections and Photos

    It had rained hard during the night and everywhere I looked it was dripping, grey and dismal. I walked looking down at the ground to avoid mud puddles and slippery sections. Then I looked up, and saw this light – an open window beckoning me on, at the end of the, er, tunnel – of […]

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  • The choices we make

    Posted on July 19, 2015 by Janice Henshaw in all posts, Meditative Reflections and Photos

    One’s philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes… and the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility. Eleanor Roosevelt Small choices, or big juicy ones, we get to choose them all. We have been given the freedom to decide our own path and the responsibility to live […]

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  • Grow in the Open Air

    Posted on October 26, 2014 by Janice Henshaw in Meditative Reflections and Photos

    “Now I see the secret of the making of the best persons. It is to grow in the open air, and to eat and sleep with the earth.” – Walt Whitman   Photograph © Janice Henshaw 2014 – Joyce Lockhart Park, Gabriola Island

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  • The Muse of Realization – It is yet more difficult than you thought

    Posted on December 11, 2014 by Janice Henshaw in all posts, Meditative Reflections and Photos

    “There are, it seems, two muses: the Muse of Inspiration, who gives us inarticulate visions and desires, and the Muse of Realization, who returns again and again to say “It is yet more difficult than you thought.” This is the muse of form. It may be then that form serves us best when it works […]

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  • Imitating Cormorants

    Posted on April 11, 2014 by Janice Henshaw in all posts, Meditative Reflections and Photos

    Children imitating cormorants are even more wonderful than cormorants. – Kobayashi Issa

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  • Autumn Leaves

    Posted on October 24, 2014 by Janice Henshaw in Meditative Reflections and Photos

    So intent on a goal and overwhelmed with thought we sometimes forget to use our eyes and see how beautiful it is right now, where we are.   -Janice Henshaw Photograph ©Janice Henshaw 2014 – Autumn leaves, Front Royal,Virginia      

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  • Swift Current, Saskatchewan and clanking noises – Aug. 9, 2012

    Posted on September 21, 2014 by Janice Henshaw in The Vagabond Girl - Travel Stories

    Aug. 9th Thursday – Swift Current Saskatchewan ($20.00 + tax) I am in SASKATCHEWAN,  the third province over from the west coast. I pulled in just before dark, and am now unbagging an instant caesar salad and singing along to John Lennon’s “Come together, gotta be free.” Yeah, right on! Strange words to that song, […]

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  • Yard sales and lightning up

    Posted on July 10, 2016 by Janice Henshaw in all posts, Meditative Reflections and Photos

    Just recovering from my first ever (and last) garage sale. The biggest winner was the recycling depot when I dropped off a truckload of special “things.” These “things” that I had packed, and moved, and packed and moved, because I thought they were treasures I couldn’t part with. My change purse got steadily heavier as […]

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  • Meditative Reflections and Photos
  • Life Stories
  • Vagabond Girl – Travel Stories

Testimonials

What a great book you wrote for our family! It doesn’t get much better than that! MH

I’m extremely impressed with your writing skills and also with the layout on your web blog.
Keep up the nice quality writing, it is rare to see a great blog like this one today.

Rosalie

I found your writing to be lovely and the pictures are just as wonderful.   Keep writing from your heart.  It shines through your words. Clear, simple and profound.  Thank you for sharing this.  It drew me in and warmed my heart.

Patricia D.

Just lovely!  The photos are beautiful, and the articles are interesting.  I was left wanting MORE! I love, love, love what you are creating.

Lori W.

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