Life Story Writing – Going to Sea
Perfect timing. Last summer I was a passenger on board one of the Windstar Cruise Line ships. As we sailed from Athens to Venice, I had an idea. The passengers seemed like ideal candidates for the same kind of extended learning program I taught at a local Canadian college. They were mostly over fifty, they were articulate, and I’m sure they all had kids and grandkids. The ideal demographic for those who might enjoy writing their life stories and sharing them with loved ones. So I spoke with Captain John up on the Bridge. By great coincidence, a head office staff member was nearby, joined our conversation, and gave me a name to contact back at Seattle HDQ. Perfect timing. I got even luckier. After submitting a 10-session proposal to this individual, she emailed me back and suggested that we talk. During the first phone meeting she said: “I like it. Are you able to catch the November transatlantic sailing from the Canary Islands to Barbados?” That was just a month away.
That was the first of two (so far) transatlantic enrichment classes I would offer with Windstar. Because the ships were at sea for 14 days with no stops in between, it meant that I pretty much had captive audiences each time. However it was also a first-time offering for the company and there was little time for promotion. What if nobody showed up? I was more than happy when six people enrolled. Each day we met for two hours and discussed the lives we had lived. Using the legacy themes from our book Writing Your Legacy, we covered our life’s work, our favorite food and drink, the music we live by, our passions, our families, our spiritual beliefs, and our future dreams.
The second transatlantic cruise happened this April, from Sint Maarten in the Caribbean to Lisbon. I had time to promote the course and ended up running two daily life story sessions for our guests. It was a delight to facilitate discussion with incredibly articulate people. It actually took me three classes before I was able to gain their respect – at first it was like trying to herd cats. CEOs and experienced travelers do not easily give up control. But no one made me walk the plank. It all worked out. They let me run the show.
One class member had visited 111 countries. Another, a retired top executive of a major auto company, wanted nothing more than to be a chef. A child psychiatrist knew everyone in the world of new-age psychology, including Joseph Campbell, Fritz Perls, and Timothy Leary. Another had chaired NATO conferences during the Cold War. Needless to say, I’m glad I didn’t know all of this up-front. I might have volunteered to walk that plank.
The evaluations were positive. There was only one problem that I had no control over. Heavy seas. It was actually funny watching our chairs suddenly start sliding away from the table. Then they would slide back during the next roll. Going with the flow…
I look forward to teaching another transatlantic writing your life story course. That may come as soon as this November – the perfect time to get away from the coming winter.
