Birds of a Feather

Today's  October Memoir and Backstory Challenge is age 10. Regina Gort shares a memory about an experience with nature.

Birds of a Feather

Lake laps the shore,

sun halo diamonds dance,

a call for me.

Awkward girl unsure

is made certain by

the water's calm.

First feet, then body, slip

below and I am a mermaid.

Reassured, this is

my world.

As I emerge, a Canada goose glides over me.

Flaps until her wingtips break

the water's surface and

lands.

I look at her.

She looks at me.

She has no flock.

Alone.

I dive.

She follows.

Back and forth I paddle,

she stays by my side.

The afternoon, our conversation.

The lake, our understanding.

And as I retreat to the beach,

she waddles behind me.

Overhead a flock honks

and she must go.

Left with a feather,

a reminder that this is

our place.

Regina Gort boating on Lake Superior

Nowhere to hide in three-word sentences

A couple of words about the book I read, Thinking About Memoir by Abigail Thomas. It was short and chock-full of good advice. I found the following exercise challenging but interesting: “Take any ten years of your life and reduce them to two pages. Every sentence has to be three words long - not two, not four, but three words long. You discover there’s nowhere to hide in three-word sentences.”  How true!

I am currently reading a book I received as a gift on Christmas morning coming out of church. It’s a spiritual memoir, My Life with the Saints by James Martin, SJ.  Thus far, I really enjoyed the chapter on Thomas Merton. I have 14 chapters to go. I don’t know why, but I’m really drawn to this book. It seems to be just what I need at this particular time in my life. I've heard it said, "God works in mysterious ways…"

Graziella Buonanno