A while ago Karin and I were driving in the car, listening to a piece on NPR.
The show had an editor on from SMITH online magazine (never heard of it), and he was discussing a project where they had readers and celebrities write their life stories. The twist was that they requested that these life stories be delivered in exactly six words.
As someone who loves the challenge of writing, the concept intrigued me and I listened intently as they discussed a cross section of the entries. 
Some were humorous (e.g., Steven Colbert’s "Well, I thought it was funny"). Some were sobering (the nine year old who wrote "Cursed with cancer. Blessed by friends"). And some simply fired the imagination (“After Harvard, had baby with crackhead.” Don’t you want to know what happened there? Read more samples here.)
The magazine reported that they received over 500 submissions a day. In turn, these submissions were then culled into a book called Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure.
I’ve not read the book, but I wrote my six-word story.
In fact, the six words popped into my head as we were listening to the radio broadcast. I figured they would serve as my rough draft — that with time, a new collection of words would arrive to better capture the essence of my 38 years on the planet.
But no, my six words are locked firmly in place, written in permanent marker on my medulla. Unable to scrub them clean, they revealed a darker truth about how I have operated.
I told you I was good.
Just writing them down, speaking them in my mind brings forth a wave a heaviness.
While it’s uncomfortable to share my six-word autobiography, I do so because holding my story to the light revealed some important things to me.
Apparently, my life story — or more precisely , the story I have been telling myself — comes down to some tired old themes.
I told you I was good.
So yes, I know I am good. I know I have talent. I have something to offer the world.
But apparently knowing this is not enough for me. I need validation from outside myself. I need someone else to know how good I am, to recognize my brilliance. My six words reflect my deep seated feelings of frustration that I am not "further ahead" in the world. My six words reflect my adopted mindset that I am some sort of underdog that will prove all the naysayers and the doubters wrong. I will overcome. I will vanquish. I will ascend to the top of the mountain. And I will look down at the fools who did not listen, did not see, did not believe. My six words are laced with resentment of living under the illusion that I am not being properly recognized.
Like I said, I wanted to scrub these shameful six words from my brain. The fact that I could not do so tells me that my story was really critical message for me to hear. My six words show me how my ego continues to operate and sabotage my intentions for a very cool life. Without coming to this level of awareness, I would likely continue to live out this story for the next 38 years.
I take some relief in knowing that these six words reflect the narrative I have lived under until now. It captures what has been.
But now I begin a new story.
I encourage you to write your six word story and perhaps, share it. After all, it’s only six words.
And you might just learn something about yourself.
“There must be so much more”
Hey, Drew. That takes courage. thanks for sharing yours. Listening for mine….;-)
–Christina
here’s my rough draft: “Met Jeb. Created seven. Richly blessed.”
fun to ponder on a rainy saturday morn.
love you
Hi Drew,
I’m not sure yet what my six words are, I’ll give it some thought. What I know is, reading this piece, that your six words and your way of reflecting upon them draws a direct connection to my heart.
Zsuzsa
great comments… nice memoirs!
d
Drew, your six words sound like an Outward Bound course! Man – overcoming…been there myself a few times 🙂
My six words?
Are you doing, becoming, or being?
Followed by – pick one.
Z
hi Drew…this should come as no surprise. my 6 words:
i asked a lot of questions
hi Zoe:
you’re right — there is a lot of overcoming vibe in my old story. thing is, it’s subtle enough to miss. that’s why writing this and seeing what came out was enlightening for me…
i notice your story is directed outward — a question for others? (“Are you” versus “Am I”)
can’t help but wonder what would come out if your memoir reflected YOUR story… to see what’s alive within you…
love to see it if you’re game.
warmest,
d
jenn:
keeping with the writing for insight theme, where do your questions come from?
d
LOVE LOVE LOVE this. here’s mine:
got here. tried. gave up. bliss!
and p.s. howdyhoo drew 🙂
i was wondering where my ole pal Ann was — 🙂
love your memoir! fits!
d
i’m never far…and smiling widely
sending love…
Hi Drew
Curiously, the question ‘are you’ was a question to myself – my own gremlin or sage voice. So re-written is:
doing,becoming, being – pick one Zoe!
Z
zoe —
for what’s it’s worth, i like this version much better! 🙂
d
I love this Drew!
Here is mine
” Always growing, changing, opening,moving on!”
Many Blessings,
Leah
My new six words
It’s high. It’s far. It’s gone!!
“And I Start All Over Again”
Wondered. Questioned. Searched. Found. Now what?
Thanks for this Drew, a powerful exercise that I thought was superficial at first, buy boy does it go deep.
Blessings
came a little late to this piece but my six words popped into my head almost immediately.
there is beauty in my imperfections
one more comes into mind after Rebecca’s comment…
comes from a Tragically Hip song i love…
“We live to survive our paradoxes”
while i didn’t write that one, it fits (and it’s six words!)
d