Sep 2, 2011 / Topic Ideas

Write a power sentence for every year of your life

Topic #238:

For each year you have been alive, write a single sentence about the most important thing that happened to you that year.

If you don’t want to get too personal, write a sentence about the most important historic event, or event most interesting to you, that happened in the world that year.

Topic suggested by Stef.

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  1. You come up with the greatest prompts! I love this idea and will do it. WoW! 63 big, important events! Way cool. Thanks!

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  6. I am not going into all the years of my life but will highlight a few. I am also not going to get to personal.The year I was born world war two was drawing to a close. I was in downtown Winnipeg when President Kennedy was shot. I was just going to lunch with a few friends when we heard about it. I was in the living room with my sister when we heard the news that Elvis had died. We were out camping when we heard about the tornado that hit down in Edmonton. We were at a family renuion in Manitboba when we heard about the tornado that hit Silvan Lake. We were just getting up and starting our day when we saw on the tv that the twin towers had been hit. I remember standing in the door way of my sons bedroom and we were watching in total disbelief.

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  8. My first thought was that this is a wonderful prompt. Then sanity set in—obviously Stef., the creator of this prompt, is in the opposite side of the fence than am I. If you are thirty years old, then you only have thirty sentences—still a big chunk. However, if you are eighty-five years old, then you have eighty-five sentences.
    I might consider one sentence per every five, or every ten, years. Otherwise, no one would read what I write!
    Carolyn Cornell Holland

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    1. Carolyn, I’m 36 – so on the ‘younger’ side of life, I suppose, but not too terribly young, either.

      I found the exercise to be quite deep, actually (much more so than I anticipated); it was pretty amazing to reflect on the years I have lived thus far…

      However you choose to address the topic, I’d love to read it. 🙂

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    2. I hear you there Carolyn, as I am 57—but boy oh boy would i love to hear your perspective of an event of each of your years….we’ve lived thru many of the same events and then some…but I have always been interested in each person’s personal history (including my own). I do tell the students I tutor that in some respects what they consider history used to be what was my current events when i was their age!

      love your blog—Kate
      http://believeanyway.wordpress.com

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  9. Cool idea! Crazy, too! Here I am, 40 this year, so, taking you up on the challenge, hopefully not boring people to death:

    “Arrived at this world. Life was pretty easy during my second year of life. Welcomed a baby brother. Trusted my parents, although they probably didn’t trust themselves! Discovered school and social awkwardness. Began my nomad life. School and homes changed as I grew older… Met my first boyfriend. Welcomed another baby brother. Discovered that mean girls did exist in elementary school… Learned that being 11 and and having no breasts was a bad combination… Received my first communion…. Realized that mean girls were and would always be there… Began high school as the youngest one… High School wasn’t a walk on a cake. Still not easy, but managing… Graduation was the open door for College. An immature girl in College. Realized that not all friends are safe. College became interesting, after a few semesters of total loss… Fellowships are cool and you can get paid for! Met a real boyfriend. Discovered that real love wasn’t as real as I thought. Began globetrotting. Full-time working is challenging. Work gives you freedom and money. Work steals your energy. Working could be fun, if you’ve got great colleagues. Became a researcher and a professor. Met the love of my life. Became writing. Discovered that I was passionate for traveling, photography and languages. Welcomed my first child. Moved to Africa. Life and work in a limited-resources setting is an eye-opener… Welcomed an African daughter. Home-schooled two children. Moved to South America. At the age of 39, welcomed a Brazilian daughter. At 40, I’m thankful for all life experiences, and excited for the ones to come!”

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    1. Wow, it sounds like you have had some pretty incredible experiences in your 40 years! I can only begin to imagine the stories you have to tell..

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  11. I LOVE this idea. So much so that I took it, and changed it up a little just in an attempt to be semi-orignal. I did the New York Times Bestseller for the week of my birthday! Thank goodness I’m only 29! Feel free to check it out, it’s acutally really interesting 🙂

    My life in bookform

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    1. I agree that seeing “Oh The Places You’ll Go” on the list (two times in a row, even!) was pretty amazing timing. And I like your idea of reading each of the books… could be really interesting…

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  12. This is great Stef! I guess the most recent highlight of my life was 2 years ago – I call it “RECLAIM”. It was a time when I lost a lot – but got it back because I have my friends and family to stand by me and who believed in me 🙂

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    1. That’s wonderful. Difficult times can help us appreciate what we do have (especially once the hardship has passed…). I’m glad to hear your story had a ‘happy ending’. 🙂

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    1. I’m so impressed that you did this! I might have to share your link with a few other folks who say they are “too old” to complete this topic… 🙂

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  15. In the seventy-two years that I have been on this earth I have been through some good times, some great times and some very difficult times. I have
    even walked through the valley of death when I lost a daughter. Through all of this I have to say like the song: God has been good to me, He washed all my tears away, and turned my darkness into day. so I’ll just say: Thank you Lord, I won’t complain.

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  21. Hi,I really enjoyed doing this one! Kept it as brief as possible and was quite amused at times what came to mind for each birth year, serious stuff too but it was great looking back. Thanks Stef! xx

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    1. Imogen, wow, you’ve had one hell of a life… and yet, here you are, still keeping on – and doing it with a smile as far as I can tell. Truly, truly awesome. Thank you for being so bold.

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      1. Thanks Stef! I am indeed keeping on-keeping on, thanks for noticing, and yes it’s all with a smile, tears at many a times but the smile always wins! 😉 luv ya, Immie xx

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  24. arrived .. blue and crying 🙂
    Learned to walk , talk and play
    learned to share and make friends
    too much homework.. never liked that 🙂
    Study.. uni.. war..
    Re birth
    Start from below Zero
    Metting the best man ever
    Walk my way up at work
    back to uni
    Blogging 🙂

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    1. Sounds like you had a lovely start, a tough middle, and are on your way up again. It continues to amaze me how so much life can be shared in such few words… thank you for sharing yours.

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    1. Summer, what a great idea, to write a power sentence for each week/month of your life. For some people who want to journal but don’t want to invest a ton of time doing so, this could be a great way to do that. Thank you for sharing! 🙂

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    1. Oh my gosh, you have had an *amazing* life! And still more of it to go… Thank you for taking the time, and for sharing this; I absolutely enjoyed reading it.

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