A miracle with Mom

Following your passion, following what you are here on this earth to do will open up windows, doors and floods of opportunities and provide answers in your life course for the hardships you struggle with.
Today, starts the beginning of what I am certain will be many miracles as I encourage my family, neighbors and community to write.  In just sharing my CAP with those around me I see the light of pure intelligence flow from my lips to your heart and mind.  My mother sent me a message today telling me she had joined a writing group and wanted to share with me her first excerpt: A memoir she called "The Family Library." My third grade mother remembered a time when she was lost in the wonder of words.  From War and Peace to Charles Dickens shelves higher than her Daddy spread knowledge and world time travel she was in awe.  So much so that she felt obliged to make library cards for her neighbor friends and entitle them with the privilege of checking out books from "her" library.  So the masses came but big sister intervened shaming little mom for not asking permission and hence, insisting that she would have to lend out her own library books!  Oh the world injustices!  Years later my mom ran into one of her friends whom she wanted to, but restrained herself--ask her to return her overdue library book!
In my mom's writing group an additional assignment was to share what inspires you.  My dear mom, usually guarded and careful to  complement listed off what inspired her to write.  She said observing the little things in nature, reflecting, journalling and my oldest daughter.  For me, a monumental offering.  In other words, she appreciates my gift.  She cherishes my insights.  Enough so that when the time was right for her, she, too, is inspired to write.  I believe genuinely connecting families can have more power than we know.  I can't wait for all of us to find that common thread that unites us. 

Asking questions begets answers.

 What/who are you passionate about? 
I am passionate about connecting and sharing through writing.  I believe every person has wisdom and life experiences that if shared will uplift our communities.  I love the struggle to find my voice and to unveil beauty through writing.

What resources would benefit your community? 
Writing workshops for Professional Womens Group women and any community members or P.W.G. women's families to support the end goal of writing letters to those of an older generation.  This action would empower the women, families and community members who particpate to find their voice and in doing so will lift the downtrodden and weak in spirit.  It will also give hope and connection to senior citizens related and unrelated who might fee disconnected.

Is there an issue affecting the quality of life in your neighborhood?
In an increasingly busy society we are not connected.  Phones, computers and the era of instant communication loses some.  We don't know our neighbors.  Because of that we are focused inward and are unable to support our families, neighbors or communities when they might need uplifting.  

Is there a group of people or geographical area that you are excited about helping? 
This July I had a wonderful opportunity to attend a family reunion.   Now that I have a full-time job, have time off benefits I could afford the luxury of attending this family reunion for the first time.  I am very fortunate to have a large, supportive family.  But because my "little..family of 7" hasn't been financially sound, previously we had never been able to make such a journey to meet them.  This year, a drive to Idaho for my kids to meet my 6 aunts uncles, my grandparents, my 15 first cousins and 15 second cousins happened!  We visited City of Rocks, shared memories, listened to gentle Grandpa express his love to all of us, learned about Grandma's brothers who teased her as a little girl,  rode bikes with my daughter passing by cornfields, smelled bittersweet sagebrush, water slid, trudged with my brother through my Dad's old stomping grounds, visited Great Grandparents old farm and renewed my sense of peace and belonging.  Family is the building block of society.  All of us have families that need strengthening.  What could I do to help others feel some sense of the peace and belonging that I cherish from my family?

Presenting my Community Action Plan with Dress for Success Oregon

Welcome friends and friends to be!  With my partnership with Dress for Success Oregon I am introducing  During this journey I will share my direction, progress and discoveries as I create a Community Action Plan, abbreviated henceforth, C.A.P.  In my project I will invite community members to join with me to write to those of an older generation.  I will first start by inviting Dress for Success Professional Women's Group members and their families who are of an age that they can confidently write.  Also invited are any community members who would like to forge a relationship with an older generation.  Letters should be addressed to someone who is of an older generation that is related to you and also someone of an older generation who is unrelated to you.  I am reaching out to community partners in hopes of finding support to weave our community together for this common purpose.  It is my goal to offer workshops to encourage great correspondence that will be meaningful to both partners who write. As workshops develop I will keep readers updated. 
In our world we are competing in an increasingly competitive and fast-paced environment where ample time is rare.  The solace for what ails our homes, families, neighbors and communities lies in each of us as individuals sharing our gifts and reaching out to those who are suffering from loneliness, sadness or other trials.  By small and simple means can great things come to pass.  With this as my guiding light I will encourage the individual who joins my C.A.P. to find their voice through writing and find a means of sharing their personal stories and encouragement to a generation.  In the process I hope wisdom, love and learning will be exchanged.  I hope that my C.A.P. will become Our Community Action Plan.  Together we will strengthen our homes, families, neighbors and communities.
If you have an idea how you or your company can contribute to my C.A.P, would like to get involved through writing or other means please leave a comment or email me shannonmilliman@gmail.com.
I am seeking stationary, envelopes, postage stamps, ideas, people to inspire about the rewards of writing in a workshop, depending on level of involvement perhaps a location to hold workshops and a writing celebration, and likely..that little thought in your mind that you are wondering if it might have a place.  Thank you for your support.  Please share this blog.

Why Writing Letters and Why to the Elderly?

Family and relationships are crucial for a community to thrive.  It is important that we learn about our heritage so we can better define our futures.  Many have grandparents or other older relatives that are still alive but that they do not know well.  In addition, In many neighborhoods  we don’t know our neighbors.  So many have hectic, busy lifestyles and it is increasingly difficult to find the time to connect in meaningful ways.    This past year in my neighborhood there was a tragic suicide of an elderly man.  I didn’t know him.  His next door neighbors knew him a little.  He was a Vietnam Veteran. He had debilitating, terminal health concerns, severe pain and severe loneliness.  Police and neighbors noted the night before he shot himself he came out to say goodbye to the neighbors.  They didn’t realize it as such at the time.  While one is not accountable for what might happen this horrific occurrence caused me to reflect deeply.  What could I have done?  Could I have been a friend?  Could I have taken a walk with my small children and dropped off a plate of cookies?  Could any of the small and seemingly insignificant offerings that I thought I might be able to offer another human soul do any of these do any good at all?  A co-worker checks in on her neighbor who is 85 and although she has a daughter, has health concerns and disappointment with a body that limits her.  I had never met her but had learned much about her from my co-worker.  I decided to get her address and write a birthday letter to this stranger.  I used the details I had gleaned from my co-worker sharing.  I shared about myself, my dreams and passions and acknowledged what I knew about the details of her life.  I mailed it and a small miracle occurred.  My co-worker shared how moved this elderly woman, Dot was.  When I mentioned in the letter that I knew her dear, Slim, who had passed was surely picking roses for her, waiting for her reunion  my gesture moved her to tears.  Even with her limitations she wrote me back a beautiful thank you letter.  The impact was so much larger than I expected.  My well was filled.  After this I began to think larger.  Yes, it is possible that small and simple things can bring great miracles to pass.  The problem I choose to define for my CAP is so many in our older generations, who possess so much wisdom and life experience are becoming increasingly disconnected from the younger generations.  A tragic isolation has gradually occurred and our communities have an inter-generational gap.  We learn from our history.  We must embrace our roots to understand our past so that we might bring prosperity to our future. With our hectic lifestyles we must be creative to find effective methods of bridging this gap.  People have precious worth to contribute to each other. The audience I would like to target is the elderly, senior citizens who may be isolated, emotionally depleted individuals.  We will reach out to relatives and non-relatives. This will include if possible those related to our PWG women and participants and those unrelated to help draw those in to a “family” network that do not have one. The audience that will be the vehicle to reach these individuals will be PWG women and those who join us-who will write letters to elderly individuals.  PWG women can invite their families to participate if they are old enough to write a full letter and participate in the same capacity. ·