Words With Impact: Deepen Vocabulary Experience

Workshop: Discover Words That Sing

In her book, I Could tell You Stories, Hampl explores the realm of memory in auto-biographical writing connected by the impulse to remember. She pointed out that both Kafka and Rilke saw memory, “not experience”, as holding the sovereign position in imagination.

For herself Hampl discovered: “The recognition of one’s genuine material seems to involve a fall from the phony grace of good intentions and elevated expectations.”

Although she shares via the route of memoir, this door of recognition applies to all forms of writing. If we are unable to infuse our memories, or perhaps our search for our memories into our work then we rob it of honest quest and discovery and an imagination that connects. Each person’s voice is unique and bears witness to life. But in order to share, we first need to identify what really matters to us.

When we enter into our vocations we need the community of artisans and colleagues to teach and sharpen and encourage growth and skills. We learn from the collective memory, some living and some dead, classroom by personal experience, or classrooms through reading or other forms of art. In some ways it’s a modern day version of guilds where skills can be passed down from generation to generation. And everyone benefits.

However when we are fortunate enough to find a mentor, that experience deepens into our hearts and becomes a spiritual inheritance as well. They give us the tools that help us identify our particular bent or purpose or skill within the body. And when we stumble or lose our direction they give us their gift of memory by asking questions that remind us why we started, and where our vision is, and how to find our starting point again. They are a rare gift. They share from generous hearts.

Stories that will help us construct. Words passed along with commitment and humor, with love and challenge, with hope and integrity. Words to be valued. Poured out words.

Action Steps:

1. Go down the list below and write next to each category the words or ideas that sustain you when the road gets blurry or helps you remember your goals.

            Insight

            Wisdom

Moral Foundation

Compass Point

Quality of Craft

“Calling”

Responsibility

Affirmation

2. Which concept or words can you give to your characters?

Share: What is a lifelong insight that you received from a mentor?

Read deep, marcy