I’m going to make an observation about the process of taking on The Sum of All Years project.
It’s more like therapy than I’d anticipated it would be. And it’s hard to distill each year down to its most… what? Most life-defining? Most memorable? Most exciting? Most wish I could forget it? Most still a part of me? Most what I’ve conquered? Most how I now see myself… events. I still don’t know. And I’ll save most of my postmortem for, well, after.
Just know, if you take on this challenge (as many of you have said you’ll do), you’ll likely find some truths about yourself that you didn’t think you’d ever make public (and wonder what the agenda has been in keeping things to yourself… as well as what the agenda may be in revealing them now), and you’ll learn you’re both more and less broken than perhaps you thought you were.
Again, more at the end. Just wanted to get that out there, as fair warning for anyone taking on the project.
A part of me wants to stop. A part of me cannot. A part of me must. A part of me will not.
Thanks for reading, just the same.
Bonnie Gillespie is living her dreams by helping others figure out how to live theirs. Wanna work with Bon? Start here. Thanks!
Comments
i would take it, but I have no pix until I get to about age 13.
Posted by: Aimercat at November 29, 2005 10:45 PM
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There are tons and tons of pictures of me as a little one back at my mom’s house in Cleveland. If I’m there over the holiday’s (it will be either there or Philly at my sister’s house), I’ll make a project of sorting through them so I can do this. It looks therapeutic, scary, and absolutely necessary!
Posted by: Hal at November 30, 2005 12:33 AM
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Good going Bon. I remember someone saying on my site that the posts were great to read and very hard to comment on. I know what he means now that I’m reading yours.
I think go with what happens and let your readers decided what’s defined you or not.
I was dreading age 24 the whole time I was doing it. It was like a big ramp over the canyon on the other side. It felt good when it was over and I’m glad I’m reading yours and know how you’re feeling about the jumps your going to make.
Cheers, Cliff
Posted by: Cliff at November 30, 2005 1:56 AM
I like how apposite the picture is. This exercise is like peeling off the layers one by one.