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 […]
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!
Pure Concentration
Pure concentration A state of inner calm so deep that all external cues and annoying trivia fades away. The body and mind relax and disappear together into a deeply focused state experiencing confidence and an abiding sense of contentment. ~Janice Henshaw Photograph © Janice Henshaw 2016
Heading down the road to who knows where?
July 7, 2012 It’s late on Saturday afternoon, and I decided it was time to go out exploring. First, I drove to Lizard Lake campground and found out that what used to be a Texas Mickey challenge for young Port Renfrew teenagers is now a well-marked trail all around the lake. We set off into […]
Doing, doing, doing… instead of being content with what we have
Only men must do. It’s in their nature to do, and much of what they’ve done is for the best, only sometimes they start doing before they understand that what they’ll get won’t be nearly as wonderful as what they had. ~Louis L’Amour 1973 And Allan Watts said, “We thought of life by analogy with […]
A Bagful of Rocks
A friend once gave me a lumpy grey rock That was shaped like a heart. Ever since then I’ve been looking For another one, one with vibrant colour, Not just a regular, run of the mill rock, But a PERFECT heart rock. Last week, while walking in the rain Another friend picked up a […]
When you are about to leave a place
You get a strange feeling when you’re about to leave a place. Like you’ll not only miss the people you love but you’ll miss the person you are now at this time and this place, because you’ll never be this way ever again. Azar Nafisi Photo ©Janice Henshaw 2016 Kinuseo Falls
A mighty small package~!
“A person all wrapped up in themselves makes for a mighty small package.” ~Michael Bernard Beckwith Isn’t that a great description? And oh my gosh, such a challenge to be around those noisy little packages. Luckily these daisies are lovely for the eyes, and easy on the ears a forest treasure! Photo © Janice Henshaw
“Truly, it is in darkness that one finds the light,”
Truly, it is in darkness that one finds the light, so when we are in sorrow, then this light is nearest of all to us. Meister Eckhart
The Vagabond Girl – My 43,000 km trip in a 14 Foot Trailer with a dog named Baloo
In July 2012 I set out on a trip. I drove my Dad’s old diesel pickup and towed a small 14′ trailer. My dog Baloo sat in the co-pilot seat and acted as navigator. He never disagreed with any of my ideas. Nor did he argue when I changed direction, got lost, or was late […]
Choices
“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 […]
Fairy Lake Blueberry pancakes and my new inverter
FAIRY LAKE Sunday, July 8 Blueberry pancakes for breakfast with maple syrup and butter, and orange juice, yum! I have a warm camp fire burning to keep me warm because the fog is still in and it is cool. I can’t even see across the lake this morning. As the sun came up and burned […]
Hadancy the Painting Horse
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 […]
Our attitudes – are everything
“The greatest day in your life and mine is when we take total responsibility for our attitudes. That’s the day we truly grow up.” John C. Maxwell It gives us so much choice, doesn’t it? So much freedom. We can choose the darker, heavier attitudes that will be sure to drag us down and hurt […]
Where troubles melt like lemon drops
A lovely song for a rainy Monday morning Eva Cassidy’s version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” Somewhere over the rainbow Way up high, There’s a land that I heard of Once in a lullaby. Somewhere over the rainbow Skies are blue, And the dreams that you dare to dream Really do come true. Someday I’ll […]
Joy can find space to enter
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 […]
Don’t Hibernate for Too Long!
Don’t hibernate for too long when the going gets tough because then it gets harder and harder to break through your own built up walls of self-absorption. Fight back against self-imposed limits and ideas. Go out and have an adventure – play! It may be a bit scary, but it’s a lot more fun! Janice […]
Get rid of those fearful thoughts – Be Gone!

“If you gathered up all the fearful thoughts that exist in the mind of the average person, looked at them objectively, and tried to decide just how much good they provided that person, you would see that not some but all fearful thoughts are useless. They do no good. Zero. They interfere with dreams, hopes, […]
To See All That Is Beautiful
Depending on our nature, it may come easily to see and talk about all that is negative in our world. The trick is to put effort into seeing the good – in people, and in everyday moments. To see and remember, and cherish, All that is beautiful. ~Janice Henshaw Photo © Janice Henshaw 2017
Stop and smell the roses
“There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will.” Epictetus quote Oh, the angst on hearing the news it settles upon us like a dark heavy cloud and for awhile it’s hard to think of anything else. But as time passes […]
Nature can be so messy

Nature can be so messy and untidy nothing ordered or filed or put away but it slows down my breath and makes me forget that anything else matters… unlike my house which is tidy and clean and full of must do’s. -Janice Henshaw Photograph ©Janice Henshaw 2014


















