A warm welcome to our new subscribers! This is the GAB Gazette, a highlight reel from the world of Guided Autobiography.
In this Newsletter
Announcements: GAB book 3 submissions
Board Updates: Onward GAB Launch update; Great Non-Profits
Featured GABBER: Pam Hueckel
Booklist: A Spoonful of Sage; Memories & Musings
Article Roundup: Tiredness of Life discussion; Nancy Sharp in AARP’s the Ethel
Collaboration Opportunities
Community Poll: help us prioritize new services
Announcements
Book Three of the Birren Anthology Series is currently open to submissions, we will accept only thirty more submissions and the deadline to submit is August 31. The guidelines and submission form can only be found at the link provided: GAB Book 3 submission link
Board Updates
The ONWARD campaign to launch the new Birren Center non-profit raised $10,000. Cheryl Svensson announced the success of the campaign in a thank-you letter to the GAB community, saying “You enable us to make a difference and continue this work. We are very grateful for your support. We will use your contribution wisely, ensuring that it benefits you and all we serve and helps us expand our reach. We believe in the power of life stories to connect, bridge diversity, and make us whole…one story at a time.” GAB instructors can read her full letter in the google group.
If you missed the campaign, the opportunity to donate is still open at the following link: https://donorbox.org/onward-gab-launch
The Birren Center for Autobiographical Studies has opened a profile on GreatNonprofits.org. The board is asking members of the GAB community to visit our page (at the link provided here) and share a sentence or two regarding their experience. Positive stories about the Birren Center’s impact will help us as we seek grants and partnerships.
Featured GABBER: Pam Hueckel
Pam has been teaching GAB since 2013 in her home town of San Dimas California, a small town in the foothills northeast of Los Angeles. “When my father's death in 2012 brought my caregiving duties to an end, I began searching for employment that would draw on my skills as well as tap into my lifelong interests in genealogy and personal history. I searched the Internet and eventually stumbled across the Birren Center's website. The GAB instructor idea looked promising: I would be doing something I loved (helping people write their life stories) and I already had teaching experience. I never dreamed it would turn out to be so gratifying and fun!” Pam says her favorite part of teaching GAB has been experiencing the way GAB connects people and creates community. Her biggest challenge has been supplying her long-time students with fresh themes. Pam plans to retire from teaching GAB in September of this year, we thank her for serving the GAB community and wish her best of luck in her next pursuits.
Booklist
Lily Bengfort and Leigh Morrow of the Story Guides have released a new book A Spoonful of Sage, a collection of essays from their writing salon.
And Steve Hoover’s GAB group released a collection of their own titled Memories & Musings: and Anthology by Vintage Minnesotans.
Both books are available on Amazon at the links provided.
Article Roundup
Nancy Sharp was recently published in AARP’s online magazine with her article Ready to Fall In Love With Yourself Again, or With Someone Else?
The article that spurred much discussion comes from the Conversation.com titled Tiredness of Life: the growing phenomenon in western society
Many instructors who read the article shared their experience with this phenomenon among family and students, and shared their concerns with the motivation behind the study. Cheryl Svensson, the Birren Center director, conducted her own follow-up research into the implications of the study and the background and shared the feedback she received from a fellow researcher in the Netherlands, who said “There has been some research on what has been called a completed or fulfilled life in the Netherlands. Basically, it is indeed about a death wish without severe illness in later life.”
She also solicited feedback from a dear GAB student, Shirley, who at 103 years old is still writing her life story.
Cheryl’s conclusion states: I hope we will all continue to offer GAB and related life story classes so that people like Shirley will always be inspired to keep going and not become tired of living.
Members of the google group for GAB instructors can read the conversation in full here, here and here.
Collaboration Opporunities
If you are looking to collaborate with another GAB professional, send your collaboration opportunity to birrencenter@gmail.com and we will announce it in next month’s newsletter.
Community Poll
If you teach GAB classes, please help the Birren Center board of directors to prioritize our efforts by voting for the top two items that you feel would benefit you the most as a GAB instructor.