Inspiration for Your Life Story

In January of 2021 I lost my dear friend Joyce Wonnenberg to cancer. In March of 2020 when she learned that despite the chemotherapy, radiation and surgery, it was back and it was terminal, we were devastated. I asked her if I might help her write down her memories.She agreed, and every Tuesday and Thursday morning for the next nine months she talked and I wrote.Sometimes I’d prompt her with questions, and sometimes she’d already know what she wanted to talk about.This experience was a huge gift to both of us.

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We just dove in. That’s what old friends who trust each other do. I’d call at 8:30 and even though we were scheduled for half an hour, sometimes we’d go longer. At the end, we had a 40 page document and had discussed her family history and memories from childhood and school years, her first job, vacations, accomplishments, important people, etc… By December she could rarely talk for more than 15 minutes because of the negative effects the cancer was having on her speech. She told me it was too late for her to have a Bucket List, but she could still do a Bake It List! I loved her spirit and she taught me so much about living – even in her dying. Her only child no longer has her mother here, but can read through her story anytime she’d like. I found this so meaningful that I decided I want to do more of it!I’m still going to take care of my Facebook clients, but I won’t be accepting any new ones.I’m so excited to share with you this new venture! I have several different packages for people to choose from. I meet with the individual in person or over FaceTime the first session and then there are five more one hour sessions over the phone after that. The objective isn’t to write a book or publish anything, but to preserve important information and memories. If you know of someone who would like help writing their story down, please send them my way. One photographer I spoke to said she loved this idea so much because both of her parents are gone and she has nothing written down. She told me wistfully that she’d give anything for that.

You can reach me at 303.518.0089 or FacetoFace@q.com.Thank you for your support for Face to Face since 2010! Jennie Poppenger

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