Hello, everyone --
I'm just going to say it: These are tough times. The national acrimony is crackling like static in the air, even when the radio is off and the news app is closed. Add that to pandemic-generated angst, and our regularly scheduled (and unscheduled) individual and familial concerns, and whew.
So I’m taking a break and focusing on one of my favorite things: winter in Minnesota!
After I recently wrote about Leo’s and my very brave first run in 1-degree-Fahrenheit conditions, I heard from my college adviser and winter mentor Gene Bakko that our Red River Valley is one of the two most severe climates on earth (along with Siberia) for an organism to adapt to.
(This is serious insider information — you’re not going to hear this from job recruiters or the convention & visitors bureau!)
He explained that there are places in the world that get hotter or colder than here but nowhere that gets as hot and as cold as here. “In other words,” he wrote, “animals have to adapt to both extremes, not just one.”
This discussion got me thinking about how my animals — I mean family — have been adapting to winter in our new environment, after moving from more temperate Washington state.
I noticed a lot of our adaptations are related to feet, so today I'm sharing some of those in a post on my blog.
May they help you stay comfy and safe, wherever you might be!
Below, I'm including a dose of encouragement, an opportunity and a whiff of Japan ...
Take good care,
Sarah
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Some stories are evergreen
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I think there's a certain phase of life when we believe we're still, well, young. And then we reach a certain milestone or situation of responsibility and realize that's not quite the case.
For me, hitting this point caused me to wonder whether my stories have relevance to those who are truly young. As in, would my memoir, The Same Moon, have anything to say to young people teaching English in Japan today?
And then I received this message from C:
" ... I ended up devouring the entire book over the space of today's workday! As a current ALT a lot really resonated with me. I just loved it. Thank you for writing it."
C. is on the JET Program, teaching English in Japan, just as I was 25 years ago. A quarter century ago! I'm sharing her message in part to tell you this:
No matter what age you are, your stories are important. Whether you write them down or share them in a phone call with a grandchild or beside the fireplace with a grandparent.
Maybe your story took place before the advent of social media, or maybe it's all about your obsession with TikTok.
So many of the stories we hold dear -- our dreams, our goof-ups, our unexpected accomplishments, our regrets -- have an evergreen quality to them. They speak to others, regardless of time or place.
Share them.
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Memoir Moments class
I have begun teaching my Memoir Moments classes, helping others identify a moment and write it down. If you are interested in joining the next four-week session, please drop me a note. I'm tentatively planning to offer it in February at 7 pm Tuesdays Central Time (5 pm Pacific).
More information about Memoir Moments is available here.
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I had a wonderful video chat with my host family over the holidays, and later that day my host sister sent me this photo from one of my favorite restaurants -- Dondon Udon -- of my favorite lunch: tempura udon. Can you catch the aroma?
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Thank you for your interest in The Same Moon and sharing stories! You are welcome to share this email with others who might be interested.
If this copy of The Same Loon was forwarded to you, I invite you to subscribe here.
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