I’m Living The Lives of Many: A Six-Word Memoir

“Books are the most quiet and constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers. When you open a book, you’re not simply flipping through pages; you’re entering into the life and mind of another person—sometimes a mind that is centuries old, other times, one that just shared a similar experience you’re going through. Books never judge you, never tell you that you don’t belong. They just listen, they just speak, and in that, they provide a sense of companionship, even when you are utterly alone.” — Charles W. Eliot

What would a memoir look like if you had to write a summary of who you are in just six words? That is today’s conundrum. As I mentioned previously last month. I’m back to school for the spring this week until June, and one of my classes is a creative non-fiction writing course that looks super exciting and very valid for me considering what my hobbies are. One of the first assignments is writing a six-word memoir that describes ourselves, and I thought it would be fun to share with everybody to find out what theirs would be. Lets get to know each other!

The one I wrote for myself is I’m living the lives of many, which is based off A Poem For The Love Of Books, and I think the message behind it shows where I’m at right now. When thinking about who I am as a person and what I wanted to express about my character, reading was my first thought. At the core of my soul, I’m a reader. If there is anything anybody ever needs to know about me then know that I love reading. Books have more value in this world than most things. That is a hill I will forever defend. The written word is extremely powerful.

The words of author George R.R. Martin inspired the poem I wrote, which has now inspired my six-word memoir. A cause and effect that fall like spiraling dominoes. Martin once said, “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.” These words have always stuck with me because of the simple truth of them. It’s a fact I’ve known my whole life. As long as I can remember, I loved books, and by the time I was in the third grade, I knew I wanted to be an author. My life was shaped by this love and passion for reading.

Most readers will definitely understand what it means to live the lives of many and go on countless adventures as the words come alive across the pages of a book, enriching the minds of those lucky enough to capture that magic. It’s the fuel that puts fire to the soul. The six-word memoir can be serious, silly, mysterious, deep, emotional, and absurd. The point is to creatively express a personal truth.

Needless to say, I’m excited about this creative non-fiction writing course because it will be a very eye-opening experience and instrumental in improving my writing skills further. I love writing on this blog and have several books in rough drafts that I continuously am working at with the plan of publishing in the next couple years. There is nothing I want more than to be a better writer. History, reading, and writing are all strings in my web that is being meticulously built for my own personal happiness. Every word better count because the cost is high.

I’m really looking forward to seeing what six-word memoirs everybody can come up with, so please don’t forget to leave that below in the comments. I’m taking a few interesting classes this semester, so I am sure this won’t be the last school-related post you will see published here on The Chronicles of History. I also just want to warn you that I’m going to try to get an article out at least once or twice a week, but honestly, I’m going to have to see how that goes because with work, school, my family, and life in general, things can get crazy!

Thank you for coming to my ted talk sincerely Samantha Sebesta

“I think that, in the end, it’s the reading that gives meaning to life. And when you read books, you’re not just reading a book or a sentence; you’re reading a whole world, sometimes a whole universe. Through books, you become acquainted with different times, places, and ways of thinking. You enter into people’s lives, share their joys, sorrows, and struggles. It’s the most profound way to escape yourself while also understanding yourself more deeply. Books provide the mirror we need, and through reading, we engage with the world in a way that no other experience can offer.” — Haruki Murakami

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