Jan 8, Memoirs & hero stories.

I went to a night writers meeting last night. I didn't feel that the topic actually applied to what I write.  The topic was Memoirs and the Heroes Journey. Throughout the history of civilization, the "Hero's Journey contains twelve elements.  

Evan's Story is a memoir. It contains  all of the elements of a hero's journey. 

• Ordinary world, i.e. what our family life was like before Evan.
•  call to adventure, i.e. initial diagnosis
• Refusal of the call, i.e. we didn't want this.
• Meeting the mentor, i.e. the people who helped us on the way. This list is long.
• Crossing the first threshold, i.e. letting Evan be born.
• Tests, Allies, enemies, i.e. we have plenty of these.
• Approach to the inmost cave, i.e. the time before the worst time. (The spinal fusion)
• Supreme ordeal, i.e the worst time
• Seizing of the sword, i.e the hero has accomplished the task.
• The road back, i.e. other problems along the way. We have that.
• Resurrection - i.e the hero has changed, been reborn.
• Return with elixir, i.e shares skill with village, i.e Evan learns to serve others with disabilities. 

The speaker asked why we write memoirs. One of the answers was that we would have something to hand down to our children and grandchildren. 

I now plan on putting the finishing touches on Evan's Story and self publishing it into a book. It will be a Christmas present for my children and grandchildren. I may even send it to other relatives as well.