A friend recently challenged me (along with everyone else on her email list) to tell my story in only six words.
“The project is inspired by the story, as legend has it, that Hemingway was once asked to compose a story in just six words. His response:
“For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” ”
Dang, right?!
Reading Hemingway's stirring response reminded me yet again of the unbelievable power of words.
While I may be slow to find my own words these days, I figured I could find six.
So I spent a while pondering different elements of my journey and ways I could boil who I am and where I've been and what I want down to only six words. Here is my collection of six-word memoirs:
- Unraveled, only to be rewoven. Again.
- Worth it, but I didn’t know.
- Can't just one thing be easy?
- If only I’d known then, I’d…
- My heart condition: best/worst metaphor.
- Wanting to be Velveteen-rabbit loved.
- Eat carbs. Drink bourbon. Laugh loudly.
- Heartsore and exhausted, inside and out.
- Broken, but I’m okay… always okay.
- Not knowing is all I know.
- Love and be loved: nothing less.
- Learning to embrace uncertainty. And failing.
- Home is more than a feeling.
- Though it's difficult: Relationship > being right.
- Why I can’t have nice things.
- Always more question marks than periods.
- Fall down. Get back up. Repeat.
- Living loved feels impossible. Is it?
- Give until empty; then give more.
- I’m a roots and wings girl.
- Africa will always have my heart.
- Courage feels a lot like fear.
- Life's hard. Hold hands, go together.
- Autumn's reminder: there's beauty in brokenness.
- No really... Are we there yet?
How about you? How would you write your story in only six words? I'd love to hear your six-word memoir(s).