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Aha moments family reunions Magic of Writing for Children mirror images snow goose story beginnings story endings
Okay, so I’ve promised to give some snapshots, some scenes, from the Amazing Family Reunion. One of the best echoes in my mind from that event is the moment my two adult sons, David and Michael, got their first look at each other after two years apart. In that two years, lots of things have happened. Both became husbands and dads in that two year span, and I had the great joy of holding both one year-old Cecilia, and (then) one month-old Anika Faith.
But one of the most startling moments for me came afterwards, looking at the pictures, seeing things I had not seen before. In one amazing picture (take a look!) I am holding Ceci, and my two sons are looking across us at each other, sharing a brotherly memory.
They are mirror images in this picture, and remind me so much of their dear Dad.
But, being a writer, I couldn’t help but think what a powerful set-up this is for story, how mirror images in our stories can tell so much. I’m thinking of this today, as I’ve just done the final (yes, really it is) rewrite of my last chapter for FINDING NONNA.
I am delighting in the wonderful mirror scene I see reflecting the first chapter. I tell my students often that a well-written first chapter is like an arrow pointing to a mirror chapter at the end. It’s fun to see it working here in my latest book–Ellie, rescuing the injured snow goose in the first chapter, and at the end, after a hard journey of spirit, rescuing in a totally different way. Ellie is changed, but the elements of chapter one are present in this final chapter, creating for me (and hopefully for the reader) a real Aha! moment.
Like the Aha! I experienced looking at this picture of my two sons, seeing reflected in them my husband, and their love for each other, and the blessing they each have in their new families.