In life, we all make mistakes. Sometimes small ones, but at times they are huge and can never be taken back. My mother always told us that we should learn from our mistakes.
Over the years, I have learned many lessons from my mistakes. First, never speak before thinking about what you are going to say. Choosing your words may make it less painful for the person you intend it for.
Being an average teenager, believing I knew better than her, words between my mother and myself were painful and can never be taken back. I did learn a great lesson many years later about mothers and daughters. I apologized to her once becoming a mother myself with all the same challenges. Think before you speak is now my motto.
Second, we should all learn to check out the facts before accusing someone of doing something we didn’t approve of. Maybe that person never committed the crime accused of, be it little or big.
When I was with my last partner, days became stressful at times when I would be home alone night after night until very late. At that time, I was very timid and would never ask questions, but my mind went to all kinds of reasons.
One day this person came home with a friend who was very drunk and put her up in our spare room. I accused him of all kinds of things that day. Later on, it became clear that I was wrong. This person had a problem, and he was just keeping her from getting into her car and driving away. So, facts first prevent less hurt and humiliation.
Third, remember that you are not always the one who has made a mistake. People come in all spaces. Some are very upfront and say whatever they are thinking, and then there are the ones like me. I am an introvert and hold everything inside, always believing it was me who did something wrong.
Making mistakes is part of life, who we are, and what we do. If we don’t find a suitable way to learn from what we do, the pattern will be to do it over and over again. We should not be so troubled by small mistakes as they usually work themselves out, but the bigger ones could have consequences for the rest of our lives.
What we do and what we say is important. How we do it or say it, could become a mistake. An example of a mistake could be thinking you are crazy in love with someone and then find out that person has no idea who you even are. Oops! Now all your friends are calling you names like stupid, idiot, you are not in his league.
I have made many small mistakes, the number too large to count, over my seventy-five years, and am sorry for all of them. I have learned to not repeat anything that was done previously.
I have made a few very enormous mistakes that have impacted my entire life, including now. I can not take them back, I have not been forgiven for doing them, and it has changed who I have become.
One day I hope that some parts of my biggest ones will resolve at least so that the parties involved will forgive me. One of them did many years ago, but I don’t believe the rest will get to that recognition of the actual facts and that it was a mistake on my part only, not theirs.
Tread carefully in life and be aware of everything you do, think, say, and there will not be so much pain in your heart or the heart of others. I know sometimes we are not aware it is a mistake, and for those, hopefully, we are forgiven.
Life is hard. Mistakes are even harder. Everyone does it and probably will still continue on this path. Now, after hearing my words, you might be able to refrain from being so liberal with all of yours.
I remember discussing the nature of childhood memories with a friend early in my university career.
I have many vivid memories of experiences as a child but I have no recollection of the times between those memories. My friend recalled her childhood in one connected stream – I was astounded – and envious.
Perhaps being a more conscientious journal keeper would have brought my recall closer to her experience. However, when I did write almost daily, it was rarely “documentary”. I was more likely to describe a visual moment or write a poem than set down a chronology of activity.
In retrospect, the importance of note taking is painfully obvious. My husband and I spent 17 days in Turkey – did I take notes? Of course not! I am now recreating the experience tediously through our hundreds of photographs (photography being somewhat of a passion), the itinerary and memories triggered by browsing the Internet. I was convinced during the trip that I could not possibly forget the detail. A notebook and a pen would have saved countless hours….
Fragments of memories develop depth of character in many fiction works. So I do believe that capturing recollections will be valuable and will trigger creative opportunities. Prospectively, I will be much more cognizant of the quirks of “memory” and use tangible aids.
“I love the written word, and believe that a selection of words can change our world. One sentence can make us laugh, make us cry; and so importantly, make us think.”
Muriel’s passion is playing with words and imagining the lives of interesting people, understanding them, and seeing how they heal their wounds.
She is grateful to have found such a creative and talented group of writers, to share the journey of creativity and truth. There is no limit to the secret world of the imagination.
Marian Bron
Marian Bron lives just outside of the city of London, Ontario and has been writing stories and poems since she was a child. An avid reader, she has read everything from Clifton Adams to Markus Zusak. Her books—Arthur Mory, a murder mystery featuring a shoe-obsessed humanoid robot; and Picking Pockets and Picking Battles, the first two installments in a young adult spy series with a healthy dose of romance—are available on Amazon.
Catherine A. Campbell
A lawyer by training Catherine spent most of her career in senior management and executive positions in legal and educational publishing. She chaired the Intellectual Property Committee of the Canadian Publishers’ Council and consulted on copyright and regulatory issues. Catherine completed a Masters in intellectual property law in 2010 and has finished her professional certificate in Creative Writing at Western.
She is currently pursuing memoir and fiction projects and fills her spare time (procrastination) with training her Standard Poodle, Kohl, and playing classical piano.
Annie Carpenter
Annie Carpenter is a Children’s Author as well as a Communication Clerk on a busy hospital unit. The reality that at any given moment…life can be stolen away inspires her writing. She tries to shine a light of hope on such a difficult subject and was picked up by Guardian Angel Publishing for a Children’s book that deals with the grief and loss of a young child in a tender way. Livvy & the Queen Bee won runner up from the Word Guild in 2016 and Annie will be publishing the novella version in the fall of 2017.
Annie is part of a “blended family” that could provide her with enough subject matter to keep writing forever. She loves bunnies, puppies and second chances.
Currently, Diane attends Western University in London, Ontario, Canada. She has a Professional Certificate in Creative Writing.
She was born in a small town in Massachusetts but has lived in Canada most of her adult life. She is a published writer of Children’s Books and is working on Contemporary Fiction projects.
Madeleine Horton is a retired teacher. She is enjoying being a member of a writing group where she can try out many forms of expression. At present her focus is fiction (short stories), memoir, and creative non-fiction. She is working on a family history using some journals of her grandmother and mother. She also enjoys being a member of a Reading Group. Taking care of her dog, a horse, and feeding and observing local birds and a resident chipmunk give her great pleasure.
Maria Melillo Jones
Maria was born in a small town in Italy, Calabritto, in the Region Campania. In November 1980 her town and surrounding towns were destroyed by a major earthquake. The beautiful medieval town was brought down to dust and rubble, covering hundreds of corpses – friends, neighbours, family, young and old – too many were lost that night in just a few seconds.
Maria immigrated to Canada in 1981 to join her oldest brother. She is now a Canadian Citizen and proud to call herself one.
Poetry and writing has always been a passion, although the language doesn’t make it easier.She is currently taking courses at Western in creative writing and in September will start poetry.
Married for 33 years Maria has two children, now handsome young men.
Alison Pearce
Alison is a retired teacher whose passion has been working with young children. She worked in a number of schools across Toronto – taught courses for the Ministry of Education – and, in the final eight years of her teaching career, she was principal of the Junior Division of one of Toronto’s private schools for girls.
Several years ago, she moved from Toronto to London so that she could research her family of Elgin County. Alison’s great-great-grandfather was one of the first pioneer families of the early Talbot settlement. She wrote and published “The Pearces of ‘Little Ireland’, Tyrconnell 1809- 2009”.
A little over two years ago she took her first course in Creative Writing at Western University. In her new-found hobby, she enjoys writing fictional and non-fictional character studies of people.
Alison also belong to a book club and plays (a little) bridge with a retired group of teachers.
Catherine Richards
Catherine is pursuing her Certificate in Creative Writing at Western University and is delighted that the Forest City Wordwrights have adopted her into the group despite not living in the London area!
Catherine has always loved school and would spend all her time and savings on courses if she could. She holds a Master of Information Studies, a Certificate in Museum Management and Curatorship and a B.A. in Art History/ Celtic Studies.
Her professional work in municipal government allows her to be emersed in her passion for communities, culture, planning and policy-making. Some of her favourite things include 1,000 piece puzzles, The Paperbag Princess by Robert Munsch and afternoon tea with a biscuit.
She is interested in personal stories, essays and memoirs and is currently writing about her experience surviving and recovering from a ruptured brain aneurysm during the COVID19 pandemic.
Catherine lives in Cobourg, Ontario with her two loves: Johan (a human) and Lily (a husky).
Cathy Sartor
My Irish mother insisted on calling me Cathryn but, my Scottish father John Campbell preferred Cathy which is how I identify today. My three sons think of me as Mom but in the classroom, my students referred to me as Ms. Sartor. Funny how a person’s name reflects their many roles. Born in London, Ontario, I was raised in Sarnia, but returned to London to attend London Teacher’s College and to teach while my husband completed his law degree at Western University. We raised our sons in Sarnia and as they grew more independent, I commuted to London frequently, while completing my BA at Western. Encountering an empty nest, I settled in Colorado where I completed a Wilderness Studies Diploma, trained as a Museum Docent, qualify as an adaptive ski instructor and ultimately, taught Elementary School for fifteen years while at the same time completed a Master Degree specializing in Literacy Instruction for Students K – 6th grade. Following retirement in 2016, I returned to London where I find myself busy and happily engaged with London Newcomers, Tai Chi, golf, volunteering at Banting House and as a new member of Forest City Wordwrights.
Krista Vanderhoeven
Krista has had a very long journey enjoying writing, having started with poetry at the age of 14. She has turned out to be an avid reader as well, even more in adulthood, tackling two to three books at a time. She is deeply interested in human nature and experience. She is family oriented, living minutes away from family.
This individual recently discovered the creative writing courses with Western Continuing Studies, and became intrigued, discovering once again that this is what she is most passionate about. She is now working towards a certificate with this. Being in the company of other writers is nothing short of inspiring!
She has a comprehensive education and works in a library. One diploma she earned is a Library and Information Technician Diploma from Fanshawe College, and she studied mostly psychology at Brescia University College, both in London Ontario.
She has self-published two books: a book of poems (2014) and a reflection on recovery from illness (2009).
