Author: jolenesheehan

Sometimes though I have no clue where the theme for discussion will lead, I just know that it will be wonderful.  This month the group’s suggestion of Rainy Days was one of those occasions.  

We found that rain has so many associations that the conversation became an ever-deepening reservoir of ideas as they poured down from every direction. (Sorry, couldn’t help it).   

We talked about our personal and cultural relationship to rain, how it is a carrier of meaning and history, the literary and musical symbolism of it and we even created a playlist for you to share some of that richness of meaning https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2IwWWI6NjxMV08zZBCN5QM?si=e1f11f61748c4115

Read on to see some of the variety of thoughts that emerged….

A number of The Stories Of Our Lives group helped me host an intergenerational event on the theme of Winters and Christmases past at Ascension Church Hulme recently, as part of Hulme’s Winter Fest event.

As a follow-up to our last theme for discussion, Small Joys, local visual artist, Su Vosper, came along to share her skills and inspiration with the group. You can listen to the audio of that previous meeting, shown in two parts below.

Su and I brought along a selection of materials for the group to experiment with as we explored how to express what brings us happiness, contentment and gratitude.

The group shared two entertaining and meaningful sessions this month. The first was online where we enjoyed reflecting on then discussing our reading-related memories. Many laughs and coincidences emerged as well as some beautiful pieces of writing you can find below.

For the in-person session, which was part of the Chorlton Book Festival, we co-hosted with Professor Sophie Woodward. The event was sponsored by the NCRM (National Centre for Research Methods). As these beautiful photographs, taken by Rachel Bywater, show, it was a lovely, connecting afternoon, where guests and regular participants shared stories and thoughts on memories prompted by reading related objects. As one attendee said, “This is a place where stories can evolve, often in real-time. Where strangers can quickly become known to one another and find common ground by laughing and listening.”

Read on to see if any of your own memories of reading are evoked and to also see pictures of the objects on which our writing was based.

Our first session this month involved a discussion about when we have experienced novel endeavours, whether on purpose or by necessity.  It was a beautiful, funny and connecting chat and you can listen to some of it here.

Our second meeting, in Chorlton Library this time, was led by a fantastic guest facilitator Steve Beal, who got us trying practical activities designed to boost creative thinking. He used a range of thinking prompts, objects and writing exercises to get us exploring new ways of seeing things. Read on to see the reflections that emerged from the sessions.

On the 22nd of April, 4 members of the Stories of Our Lives group and I led a session at Withington Library for their regular over 50s club.  It was really lovely to widen our reach to more people, connect with them and hear their memories.  This blog post is a record of what was shared, both for them and for you, the reader, to get a better idea of the shape of our sessions.  

“The great secret that all old people share is that you really haven’t changed in seventy or eighty years. Your body changes, but you don’t change at all. And that, of course, causes great confusion.” Doris Lessing.

I led two sessions this month on the topic of ageing, and this blog captures the participants’ thoughts and memories on this fascinating theme.