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!

  • Sweet white blossoms of spring

    Posted on April 25, 2015 by Janice Henshaw in all posts, Meditative Reflections and Photos

    The world is even more beautiful than we can imagine.  But we have to slow down enough to see, and feel, and inhale it.  Do you have a time-out (time-in the moment) planned – for you – today?   “Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only […]

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  • Brandon, Manitoba – Aug. 11, 2012

    Posted on September 26, 2014 by Janice Henshaw in The Vagabond Girl - Travel Stories

    August 11th, Brandon, Manitoba – 432 km from Moose Jaw (Wal-Mart Parking Lot $0.00) Brandon Wheat Kings – those words stick together in my mind like peanut butter and jam.  The name of a junior hockey team based nearly 2,000 km from my home: I wonder how I know that piece of trivia? It was […]

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  • “This very moment is the perfect teacher…”

    Posted on November 23, 2014 by Janice Henshaw in Meditative Reflections and Photos

    “Feelings like disappointment, embarrassment, irritation, resentment, anger, jealousy, and fear, instead of being bad news, are actually very clear moments that teach us where it is that we’re holding back. They teach us to perk up and lean in when we feel we’d rather collapse and back away. They’re like messengers that show us, with […]

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  • How we can each find peace in our world

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

    Affirmation: I choose to respond to life’s provocations, not with anger, resentment, or regret, but with equanimity and a focus on positive action. – Jonathan Lockwood Huie

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  • Choices

    Posted on January 25, 2015 by Janice Henshaw in all posts, Meditative Reflections and Photos

    “Alice came to a fork in the road. ‘Which road do I take?’ she asked. ‘Where do you want to go?’ responded the Cheshire Cat. ‘I don’t know,’ Alice answered. ‘Then,’ said the Cat, ‘it doesn’t matter.” ― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland Many years ago, when I was young and thought I knew just […]

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  • A new path – and sunlight in November

    Posted on November 18, 2013 by Janice Henshaw in all posts, Meditative Reflections and Photos

    This has to be one of the most beautiful Novembers we’ve had in a long time. Today while walking I met the same fellow I met yesterday going to the park. But today I remembered to take off my bike helmet after my ride. I wonder what he thought yesterday seeing me walk Baloo along […]

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  • A blessing greater than riches

    Posted on April 18, 2016 by Janice Henshaw in all posts, Meditative Reflections and Photos

    I am content; that is a blessing greater than riches; and he to whom that is given need ask no more. ~Mipham Rinpoche (1846-1912) I remember a wonderful holiday to the Hawaiian islands. During our stay, we blew the budget one night and went out for dinner and a show. At the next table sat […]

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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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  • Let it all go…

    Posted on November 21, 2014 by Janice Henshaw in Meditative Reflections and Photos

    Sometimes the best thing you can do is sit back close your eyes and let the world go by.   Photograph © Janice Henshaw 2014 – Baloo enjoying the sun in PEI

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  • Sorrow and joy

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

    “Sorrow prepares you for joy. It violently sweeps everything out of your house, so that new joy can find space to enter. It shakes the yellow leaves from the bough of your heart, so that fresh, green leaves can grow in their place. It pulls up the rotten roots, so that new roots hidden beneath […]

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  • Travel memories and photographs

    Posted on July 3, 2016 by Janice Henshaw in Meditative Reflections and Photos

    Remember when? This photo appeared suddenly today while I was supposed to be doing something important. It made me think about how photos jog our memories and transport us back to a place and time that we may have forgotten, a moment when we were in awe of nature’s magnificence, admiring an architectural delight, creating […]

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  • Christmas and moving – just moments in time

    Posted on December 20, 2014 by Janice Henshaw in all posts, Meditative Reflections and Photos

    Today while packing for a move to new digs, I was listening to K.D Lang sing these hauntingly beautiful words: “Once there was a way to get back home again.” With Christmas just around the corner, it made me think about home and wonder if there ever really is a way to get back home. […]

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  • Each one of us is alone in the world

    Posted on March 12, 2017 by Janice Henshaw in all posts, Meditative Reflections and Photos

    YOUR TRUE HOME “Each one of us is alone in the world. It takes great courage to meet the full force of your aloneness. Most of the activity in society is subconsciously designed to quell the voice crying in the wilderness within you. The mystic Thomas a Kempis said that when you go out into […]

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  • The day I fell in love with my 14 foot travel trailer

    Posted on November 27, 2013 by Janice Henshaw in The Vagabond Girl - Travel Stories

    July 9, 2012 When I look at my shiny little trailer I can’t really believe it is mine. I had done so much searching of ads online and studying articles on what to buy. First I thought of a truck and camper, but I didn’t like how it couldn’t be left behind, I couldn’t set […]

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  • Hadancy the Painting Horse

    Posted on February 17, 2014 by Janice Henshaw in all posts, Meditative Reflections and Photos

    I do a lot of walking but it hasn’t happened before, seeing a white horse sauntering along a quiet island road towards me. In the distance it looked like it was alone, but as I got closer, I saw a woman sitting relaxed on top with no saddle, and no bridle, just a rope looped […]

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  • July 31st 2012 Biking the rail trail Paulson Road to Christina Lake

    Posted on June 13, 2014 by Janice Henshaw in The Vagabond Girl - Travel Stories

    July 31st. 10:30pm 77’ inside the trailer What a month it has been. And I don’t remember when I have had a happier July. Today I went biking with Jean, Gord, and their daughter Jennifer who is a professional off road biker. She likes the downhill runs at Whistler –downhill at speed, rocks, and tight […]

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  • Moon rising over fog bank – South Pender Island

    Posted on November 10, 2013 by Janice Henshaw in all posts, Meditative Reflections and Photos

    “As we open to what is actually happening in any given moment … we can find ourselves rewoven into the pattern of wholeness, into the immensity of life.” – Sharon Salzberg, from Faith

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  • A not so good day just got a whole lot better

    Posted on July 21, 2015 by Janice Henshaw in all posts, Meditative Reflections and Photos

    Today was one of those days – “it just sucked.” It sounded good when I said those words out loud, and I could almost taste them through my lips. They were better than any combination of swear words, or a litany of complaints. “Today just sucked.” I said the words again, slowly and loudly, with […]

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  • Small Miracles are Everywhere

    Posted on March 23, 2020 by Janice Henshaw in Meditative Reflections and Photos

    Taking a refreshing deep breath and a moment to look for small miracles in our day can make a whole lot of difference! I noticed in the grocery store that people were keeping their distance, but forgetting to smile at each other. We don’t have to look so grim! Exercise those lips and the lovely […]

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  • Storm clouds of learning

    Posted on April 9, 2014 by Janice Henshaw in Meditative Reflections and Photos

    Last week I was learning a new software program. I started off first thing in the morning buoyed by excitement and the positive belief that I would succeed if I kept focused and my butt pinned to the chair. Eight hours later, with storm clouds of doubt, self-castigation, and frustration boiling around my head, I […]

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Blog Categories

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

Testimonials

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.

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

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.

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

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