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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!

  • 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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  • Who you are?

    Posted on November 6, 2014 by Janice Henshaw in Meditative Reflections and Photos

    “Don’t ever confuse what you have with who you are.” —Joshua Becker

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  • Can I appreciate that today is a gift?

    Posted on March 11, 2015 by Janice Henshaw in all posts, Meditative Reflections and Photos

    “Nothing is worth more than this day.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Dawn over Skyway Bridge, Florida Photograph © Janice Henshaw 2015  

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  • A Life Story is a Gift…

    Posted on October 20, 2013 by tlsw_admin in all posts, Life Stories

    A Life Story is a Gift… 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? The challenge is in getting started. It is sometimes difficult to write […]

    Read More

  • “Zen in the Art of Writing” Ray Bradbury

    Posted on June 16, 2014 by Janice Henshaw in Meditative Reflections and Photos

    “And what, you ask, does writing teach us? First and foremost, it reminds us that we are alive and that it is a gift and a privilege, not a right.” ― Ray Bradbury, Zen in the Art of Writing

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  • “In order to see birds it is necessary to become a part of the silence” Robert Lynd

    Posted on November 14, 2013 by Janice Henshaw in all posts, Meditative Reflections and Photos

    Yesterday while out on a walk I heard a flurry of wings, and looked up to see an owl landing on a branch. It seemed very curious about me and Baloo. I googled BC owls and think that it is a Barred Owl – apparently also known as the the ‘hoot owl’ or ‘black-eyed owl’ […]

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  • Lighten up your picture

    Posted on April 22, 2016 by Janice Henshaw in all posts, Meditative Reflections and Photos

    Your attitude is like a box of crayons that color your world. Constantly color your picture gray, and your picture will always be bleak. Try adding some bright colors to the picture by including humor, and your picture begins to lighten up. ~Allen Klein Photo © Janice Henshaw 2016 Spring tulip

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  • Look! Up there! It’s the sun coming out!

    Posted on October 8, 2013 by Janice Henshaw in all posts, Meditative Reflections and Photos

    I was walking to the Village Center on Gabriola Island, and all of a sudden this girl pointed right in front of me and said  ”look up – up there!” She was smiling, delighted, and pointing at the sunlight coming out from between the clouds. My 3rd day of looking for the light, and already, […]

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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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  • Thanksgiving Pumpkins

    Posted on October 16, 2013 by Janice Henshaw in all posts, Meditative Reflections and Photos

    Thanksgiving

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  • Our attitudes – are everything

    Posted on February 20, 2015 by Janice Henshaw in all posts, Meditative Reflections and Photos

    “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 […]

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  • Tough day huh?

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

    Ah, a dark drizzly grey day that makes It easy to sit back And feel sorry for ourselves. Just yesterday we thought We had all our little yellow duckies Lined up perfectly in a row. And then some huge obstacle Morphed out of nowhere and whacked us On the side of our head. Ambush!   […]

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  • “There was never yet an uninteresting life…”

    Posted on December 23, 2013 by Janice Henshaw in Life Stories

    “There was never yet an uninteresting life. Such a thing is an impossibility. Inside the dullest exterior, there is a drama, a comedy, and a tragedy.” Mark Twain (1835-1910)

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  • Will that light come again?

    Posted on February 9, 2014 by Janice Henshaw in all posts, Meditative Reflections and Photos

    “Will that light come again, As now these tears come…falling hot and real!” ― Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Sonnets from the Portuguese Believe that it will, see the stump by the trail – all that remains from a silent stately tree that once reached for the sun. A breathing majestic tree that struggled alone through so […]

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  • “To love is good, too”

    Posted on December 5, 2014 by Janice Henshaw in Meditative Reflections and Photos

    “To love is good, too: love being difficult. For one human being to love another: that is perhaps the most difficult of all our tasks, the ultimate, the last test and proof, the work for which all other work is but preparation.” -Rainer Maria Rilke   Photograph© 2014 Janice Henshaw – Tofino

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  • Is it time to leave Fairy Lake?

    Posted on January 1, 2014 by Janice Henshaw in The Vagabond Girl - Travel Stories

    Is it time to leave Fairy Lake? Or should I just think about it? July 10, 2012 Camping hint 101: put away chairs at night or fold up – else you get a wet bum in the morning Last night as I sat beside the fire and listened to the light breeze in the treetops, […]

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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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  • Quality Time – Breathe and Be

    Posted on April 6, 2017 by Janice Henshaw in Meditative Reflections and Photos

    Do not be afraid of spending quality time by yourself. Find meaning or don’t find meaning but “steal” some time and give it freely and exclusively to your own self. Opt for privacy and solitude. That doesn’t make you antisocial or cause you to reject the rest of the world. But you need to breathe. […]

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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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  • The Desire to make something beautiful…

    Posted on January 14, 2016 by Janice Henshaw in all posts, Meditative Reflections and Photos

    “Maybe the desire to make something beautiful is the piece of God that is inside each of us.” ― Mary Oliver, Blue Horses: Poems Photo © Janice Henshaw 2016

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Blog Categories

  • 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

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.

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.

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Janice Henshaw

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