Story Seeds

​Each season holds its own rhythm — a reminder that our lives, too, move in cycles of growth, reflection, and renewal. That’s the heart of Twelve Windows, a year-long memoir writing journey I lead for those who want to explore and honor the stories of their lives.
Poet Megan Falley once wrote: “Trees: we are utterly and entirely dependent upon them.” That line made me pause. I love trees, but I rarely think about how deeply intertwined our lives are — the way one cannot live without the other, the balanced inhale, exhale of our unspoken relationship. I find it’s the same way with writing our stories: humans are the only species who share stories. We need them– to connect, to understand each other and to find meaning in the world around us.
One of my favorite trees is a buckeye. I see it on my walks with my dog, Esmé. In summer the leaves create a green umbrella of shade, in spring the white blossoms perfume the air, and now in fall, the tree looks like a gaunt arthritic man, save for the buckeye sacs hanging from bare branches. 
Each seed is protected inside a yellow green pod, and the buckeye comes out shiny as a newborn. I see one buckeye sending an ivory colored shoot down into soil. I slip over clusters of reddish purple bay laurel nuts and wonder about my stories, like protected seeds, ready to be planted. What do I want to plant in the soil to be nurtured through the dark of winter? 
That same question begins the yearly Twelve Windows journey. Each January, a new circle of writers sets their intentions and plants the seeds of their own stories. Now, as the year closes, those stories have grown into full memoirs. This Saturday, our 2025 writers will be sharing their work at a celebration (Zoom link below), and you’re warmly invited to join us.
If you’ve ever felt a call to write, come join us for our 2026 class. You don’t need a big story to begin, or even be sure of what you want to write. Just come plant the seed of your idea and see what takes root!

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