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Double Dare You

Several years ago, I joined up with three friends to form a once-a-month discussion group.  At our first meeting we selected a  book to read over the coming year.  The name of the book was “Wise Women.” Each chapter told of a remarkable woman, her beliefs and insights. The book’s title became the name of our group.  Both tongue-in-cheek and hopeful.

Since then, at the beginning of a new year, we wise women each pick a word or phrase for ourselves for the coming year and a topic for the January meeting.  My phrase this year is “doubling down” because 1) obviously – 20  20.  But 2) mainly because I am determined to do just that in order to finish the mystery-thriller I’m writing and then present it to a possible agent.  

What’s essential?

For our meeting last Saturday, I suggested a topic the ww agreed to discuss — Identify the three things each of us considers essential in our own life.

Well, no kidding, we took up the challenge.  But with a twist — we asked each other to identify what the other three see as our essentials before we identified what we see as our own. It turned out to be v-e-r-r-y interesting  as the late Arte Johnson used to say on NBC’s “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh In.”

So here’s my double dare to you to play this game along with us.  Think about what you consider your own three essentials.  But before — or possibly never —saying to others what they are, ask a group of trusted friends or family to tell you what they see as the essentials in your life. (Be sure you trust them. This is not supposed to be a game of Jeopardy.)

For me, the cat’s out of the bag because a few posts ago I stated that the three essentials in my life are the three f’s: faith, family, friends.  But that’s not necessarily what my ww friends saw in me.  I was surprised what they said.  Each was spot on in identifying other things that are of significant value in my life.  

I hope you’ll share your experience if you decide to participate. 

Consider:

How well do you know yourself?

How well do those you trust know you?

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Patricia Schudy

Patricia Schudy is the author of the non-fiction book, "Oldest Daughters: What to know if you are one or have ever been bossed around by one," and is currently writing a suspense-romance novel. She is a former nationally syndicated, youth-advice columnist ("Talk to Us," Universal Press Syndicate/Andrews McMeel) and a free-lance feature writer for local and national publications, ncluding Better Homes and Gardens /Meredith Publications, the Kansas City STAR Magazine and the National Catholic Reporter. She is a member of Sisters in Crime (SINC), Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, and Northern Colorado Writers. The oldest child in her family-of-origin’s five siblings, she is the mother of five adult children and the grandmother of eight. “Relationships are integral to who I am and what I choose to write about.”

This Post Has One Comment

  1. Kelly M Riegel-Miller 21 Jan 2020

    Hello Pat & Wise Women! I love the name of your group! How would one know the secret hand shake or phrase to be considered a part of Wise Women? I have accepted you’re challenge and I have chosen the 3 L’s. I consider my 3 essentials in my life to be live, laugh, and love for I can’t see my without those.
    Take care,
    Kelly M.

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