Full Description
Many of us have particular things in our lives - photographs, paintings, old letters, books, furniture, jewellery, or clothing - that hold special meaning for us. Often, they correspond to pivotal memories and can be central to our sense of self and our life narratives, all the more so as we age. Things That Matter sheds important light on the intricate intertwining of mementos with stories - and vice versa - in most people's lives.
The book explores the significance of cherished objects within the life stories of nine participants in a qualitative study of the links between reminiscence and resilience in later life. The researchers who conducted the study represent a variety of fields, including gerontology, social work, ministry, nursing, literature, and education. The book details how life stories can be fraught with a wide range of insights and questions from the memories that get stirred up as people embark on the process of "life review" prompted by the challenges and changes of aging. Shedding light on the complex emotional, psychological, and spiritual findings of the study, Things That Matter ultimately reveals the intricacy of personal narrative and the incredible ways in which things and stories are interwoven in our lives over time.
Contents
Preface
Part I: Theoretical Meanderings
1. Why Things that Matter? The Context, the Project, and the Book
2. Supporting Things that Matter: Key Concepts and Distinctions
3. Living in a World of Things: Objects, Tools, and Stories
Part II: Research Adventures
4. Things and Stories: Our Participants' Worlds at a Glance
5. Sea Glass Jewelry: New Chapters for Old Things
6. Apple Quilt: Repositories and Legacies
7. Labyrinth Ring: Identifying Our Stories and Digging Deep
8. Torn Page from a Textbook: The Story of the Violinist that Wasn't
9. Packet of Love Letters: Legacy Narratives and Serendipity Stories
10. Beer Stein: From Trauma to Fairy Tale
11. Frozen Red Currants: Memory, Textiles, and Symbol-Making
12. Mahogany Table: Bringing Things Together
Part III: Pathways of Practice
13. Things to Know about Life-Writing Groups: Some Variables Involved
14. Writing Things about Our Lives: Exploring, Examining, and Embracing Our Stories
15. Stories and Things: A Chat with Two Professionals
Afterword: Changing Things Changing Us: Further Reflections on the Role of Cherished Objects in the Stories of Our Lives
Appendices One and Two
References
Index
