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Your Life is Your Story, Issue #221 – Diversity and Similarity
February 27, 2025
Greetings

"Your past is your story up to now. The future is the story yet to come. The present is where you live with that experience, your hopes and your dreams."



Your Life is Your Story Newsletter

February 25, 2025
Your Life is Your Story, Issue #221 – Diversity and Similarity

From Tom Gilbert – Editor and Writer, www.your-life-your-story.com

In this Issue:
Opening remarks: Power Gut Check
Featured Article – Diversity and Similarity
Featured Resource – Female Memoir Power

Opening Remarks: Power Gut Check

You are probably familiar with the quote, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.” It is attributed to Lord Acton in a letter he wrote to Bishop Mandell Creighton in 1887.

There seems to be quite a bit of power grabbing going on in the world today. As governments lean to more authoritarian stances it can make your head spin a bit with moves that make the rich get richer and the poor and “middle class” getting short shrift.

I try to look at my own interactions with others and when I write about that I hope I am honest in analyzing my thoughts, words and actions. Trying to control others breeds resistance and ill will. Better to collaborate.

Doing a gut check on how you use your power is a good idea. Power properly implemented can do lots of good. Power misused, not so much.

Thank you so much for being part of the Your Life Is Your Story community. Thanks to all our subscribers. I hope you enjoy this month’s issue.

You are receiving this e-zine because you signed up for it or someone who is subscribed passed it along to you. If a friend DID forward this to you consider subscribing by visiting our signup page . Also, let me know what you’d like to see more of in this newsletter – simply reply to this email e-zine.

– Tom

Featured Article: Diversity and Similarity

I’ve noticed there is a lot of discussion surrounding diversity. It almost seems like some people think it is a bad thing. I see it differently. I think diversity is woven into all of creation and differences and similarities can teach us much about life.

When we approach our task of telling our story, our life experiences, it is important to be honest about our differences from others, but also to see the similarities in our lives and that of others. I think this is part of what draws me to other people’s stories.

I love to read engaging memoirs. I think about all that person has encountered, their many struggles, the lessons they have learned, and how the process of relating their journeys can influence others.

Humans Can Be Varied and Interesting

The diversity of people shows us that humans can be varied and interesting and we can learn from that.

I am reminded of the Sly and the Family Stone song, “Everyday People.” The lyrics are revealing, speaking of how we are different and yet similar, but that “we’ve got to live together.”

What are some of the differences between each of us as we share our stories? Well, to start with, each of us comes from someplace. We have our family history and cultural backgrounds. There is our gender identity. Other things we can consider are what our personalities are like, such as introvert versus extrovert, outgoing or shy. Some people are more athletic while others are a bit awkward.

Physical attributes certainly are part of this. Tall, short, thin or heavy, limitations and such. The same is true when it comes to our mental attributes. You might be bookish or playful. Maybe you are highly creative. Or you might be very analytical.

It is easy to identify the differences if we think about it.

How we are similar is really important, I think, in helping us to connect with each other. What are our fears, our dreams, our desires and our beliefs? Think of your struggles in life. And the triumphs. How we relate to life, how we handle disappointment as well as accomplishment, what it means to us to see others going through hard times, or what we think of others successes.

People often get tribal. They fear those different from them, or they want to exert their dominance over others. Certainly we are experiencing this a lot in our current society.

These people tend to defend themselves against any threat, perceived, real or imagined. They circle the wagons and think only of themselves.

However, there are others who want to reach across the divide and connect. They try to see past their differences and seek common ground. It’s all really fascinating to me.

When we do the hard work to create a memoir or craft a story of our lives we find out much about ourselves. And we also discover what we think of others. This is why trusting the process, even when you feel like you are stuck in the weeds and not making progress, is so important. Just keep at it. Look at it as a journey of discovery. And reflect on the feelings you have about the differences and similarities with others.

Furthermore, think about how you have changed over time. How different are you from your younger self? Consider, too, what has continued to be the same, particularly in regards to your values.

Differences and Similarities–two sides of the same coin.

Read other helpful life story articles at here.

Featured Resource: Female Memoir Power

My opening remarks in this month’s newsletter speak about doing a power gut check. I’ve read a couple of really good memoirs lately by women who went on exciting adventures. And they had to exercise their personal power.

You might want to check out Heels To Hiking Boots by Sue Miller Hacking and Becoming Fearless: Finding Courage in the African Wilderness by Brenda E. Smith. They are both extremely riveting and well-written memoirs featuring discovery and personal growth on the part of the authors.

You can combine that with FrenchTwist: A Tale of Travel, Testing and Triumph by Janine Winters and ghost-written by me. These are great examples of female memoir power and I think you would enjoy them. All three are available at various online outlets and in book stores so just do a search on your favorite Internet site.

Closing Information

That’s it for this month’s issue. Thanks for reading. Here’s to telling your story. Do give it some serious consideration because I just know you’ve got a great story to tell! Be sure to see the Get Started section.

Any comments, ideas or feedback is greatly appreciated. Just reply to this ‘zine and tell me what you think!

Until next time, – keep your story alive!

Tom Gilbert

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