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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!

  • Doing, doing, doing… instead of being content with what we have

    Posted on August 19, 2016 by Janice Henshaw in all posts, Meditative Reflections and Photos

    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 […]

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  • Your Own True Adventure

    Posted on June 26, 2015 by Janice Henshaw in all posts

    “If what you are following, however, is your own true adventure, if it is something appropriate to your deep spiritual need or readiness, then magical guides will appear to help you. If you say, ‘Everyone’s going on this trip this year, and I’m going too,’ then no guides will appear. Your adventure has to be […]

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  • Fall is coming, what’s today?

    Posted on September 12, 2016 by Janice Henshaw in Meditative Reflections and Photos

    Fall is coming faster than expected. What happened to summer 2016? One morning I woke up and it was gone. And so it is with today. Today is a one time gift which we can choose to cherish or not. We can make choices such as putting yesterday behind us and for today engage in […]

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  • August 1 Kokanee Creek Provincial Park

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

    August 1st 2012  – Kokanee Creek Provincial Park It was hard to leave Christina Lake because I had had so much fun there, but I needed to get my trailer fixed. With some persuasion I had arranged an appointment in Trail. My neighbour who looked like he was cruising 90 helped guide me out of the […]

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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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  • “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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  • Kindness and Courage

    Posted on October 19, 2014 by Janice Henshaw in Meditative Reflections and Photos

    “Life is mostly froth and bubble, Two things stand like stone. Kindness in another’s trouble, Courage in your own.” – Adam Lindsay Gordon   Photograph © Janice Henshaw 2014

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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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  • What a joy it is to feel…

    Posted on March 13, 2014 by Janice Henshaw in all posts, Meditative Reflections and Photos

    What a joy it is to feel the soft, springy earth under my feet once more, to follow grassy roads that lead to ferny brooks where I can bathe my fingers in a cataract of rippling notes, or to clamber over a stone wall into green fields that tumble and roll and climb in riotous […]

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  • Ste. Anne, Manitoba, Aug. 12, 2012

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

    August 12th, Sunday, Ste. Anne, Manitoba, Lilac Resort $32.00 (Around 270km from Brandon) Mornings are the best! It means that one has survived the night with no exciting wake up calls. It means fresh ground coffee, and a whole new day of adventure waiting just outside my door. What will happen today, tonight, tomorrow? Next […]

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  • Manning Park, Hampton Campground, July 25, 2012

    Posted on February 3, 2014 by Janice Henshaw in The Vagabond Girl - Travel Stories

    Manning Park, Hampton Campground, July 25, 2012 If you leave this morning remember why you’re going on the trip – to get some much needed rest, to de-stress, to see beautiful nature and to have fun! So if something is happening that is stopping you from that, then stop and refocus! I believe you will […]

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  • Christina Lake, BC. July 28, 2012

    Posted on April 27, 2014 by Janice Henshaw in The Vagabond Girl - Travel Stories

    July 28th Saturday Christina Lake – 157 km from Osoyoos, 606 km from home I stayed in the slow lane on the big climb out of Osoyoos this morning to conserve gas except when I had to pull around a semi-trailer, some of whom who were going so slow that they looked like they were […]

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  • Reflections – Look Inside Yourself

    Posted on September 18, 2015 by Janice Henshaw in all posts, Meditative Reflections and Photos

    “Do you know what you are? You are a manuscript oƒ a divine letter. You are a mirror reflecting a noble face. This universe is not outside of you. Look inside yourself; everything that you want, you are already that.” ― Rumi Photo – reflection in Victoria Lake © Janice Henshaw 2015

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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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  • “That’s too Easy”

    Posted on February 29, 2016 by Janice Henshaw in all posts, Meditative Reflections and Photos

    “Of all my children, you were always the hardest on yourself. You were always looking for the right way to behave, so concerned you might make a mistake. But, darling, there are no mistakes. There are only our wishes, our actions, and the consequences that follow both. There are only events, how we cope with […]

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  • Where troubles melt like lemon drops

    Posted on June 13, 2016 by Janice Henshaw in all posts, Meditative Reflections and Photos

    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 […]

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  • Beautiful Spring

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

    Thinking is easy, acting is difficult, and to put one’s thoughts into action is the most difficult thing in the world. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Like a garden, worth every ounce of effort. Cherry blossoms spring © Janice Henshaw

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  • Our hearts can expand

    Posted on December 18, 2016 by Janice Henshaw in Meditative Reflections and Photos

    “If you pour a handful of salt into a cup of water, the water becomes undrinkable. But if you pour the salt into a river, people can continue to draw the water to cook, wash, and drink. The river is immense, and it has the capacity to receive, embrace, and transform. When our hearts are […]

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  • Beautiful Though

    Posted on September 27, 2015 by Janice Henshaw in Meditative Reflections and Photos

    Foundation crumbling Walls tilting Roof isn’t to be trusted Boards weakening Floor has holes Beautiful though Perhaps more so Than when it was young. -Janice Henshaw Photocopy © Janice Henshaw 2015

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  • Off to the Ferry at Swartz Bay

    Posted on January 10, 2014 by Janice Henshaw in The Vagabond Girl - Travel Stories

    My journey east has begun! I carefully hooked up my trailer at Oceanside RV Park and after a walk to the beach, headed out early to my hometown of Sidney to pick up a coffee before catching the ferry. I was also returning a cooking grate to the hardware store and hoping that I wouldn’t […]

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

Testimonials

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

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.

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