I’m happy to announce the 6-word memoir winners.
First, you made it very hard to choose five folks. Such good stories.
Second, what stood out to me were stories that hinted (or shouted) that there was much more to the story. In other words, they incited curiosity in me, so much so that I wanted the author to write more than six words. There had to be an element of drama to get my attention.
Third, this made me think of my 6-word memoir, which is hard for me because I wrote 60,000 or so words about my life in Thin Places (above).
At this moment, mine would be:
Doesn’t limp nor swagger: She walks.
Life threw things at me that would make me limp. But God healed. And because He healed, I have nothing to be prideful about. I simply walk with Jesus in the great right now. (Ah, see how I can’t help but embellish?)
But enough about my non-limping, non-swaggering ways. In no particular order, here are the five winners:
Wanted: Time machine to start over
Author: Misty Walker
Why I liked it: Misty hints at some huge regret from the past, w
hich makes me want to hear the rest of the story. What is the regret? What would she do-over?
It was love at first fight.
Author: Carey Dyer
Why I liked it: Carey reveals a lot about an important relationship (perhaps marriage?) that is not easily defined. Love and conflict seem to coexist. It makes me want to know what kind of relationship inspired these words.
Building bridges that others have burned.
Author: Alise Wright
Why I liked it: I love the hope from despair in these few short words. So many times folks let burned bridges stop them from living, but in this case Alise is building what others have destroyed.
Learning to unclutter an invisible mess.
Author: Renee Schuls-Jacobsen
Why I liked it: At first I skipped past this story, thinking it was about decluttering a house after Christmas mayhem. But then I saw the world invisible and became intrigued. What mess is she trying to unclutter? An emotional one? A relational one?
Mom smiled, but not at me.
Author: Terri Cannon
Why I liked it: Absolutely brilliant subtext here. This says so much. She had a happy go lucky mom who didn’t share that with her. And I’m sure that lack of a smile haunted her the rest of her life. It makes me want to know not only the backstory, but what has happened since then for Terri to heal.
