Saturdays with Seniors: How Does Audrey Get By?

I am pleased to feature Audrey Mitchell as our Saturdays with Seniors guest blogger today. Audrey has been a member of the “Me, Myself & I” memoir-writing class for 11 years. The class was cancelled indefinitely last March, but Sharon Kramer  (another writer in Audrey’s class) generously volunteered to start (and lead) the “Me, Myself and I” memoir-writing class for fellow writers on Zoom. Sharon is a graduate of the online Beth Finke Memoir Teacher MasterClass, and Audrey assists her by collecting everyone’s contact information and emailing updates to all so we can keep in touch. This being Thanksgiving weekend, I thought it a good time to share this essay Audrey wrote about something she is particularly thankful for.

That’s Audrey being recorded for a video about the class.

by Audrey Mitchell

One Beatle’s song that resonates with me and brings a smile to my face every time I hear it is, “With A Little Help From My Friends.” The title suggests what friends are for. During good times for fun and frolic, yes, but they are also there when you really need them. It is a choice…they don’t have to be there,, but they are there because they want to be there.

The lyrics imply that you are earnestly going to try to do your best. But what if you don’t? What if you’re sad? What if you’re alone? What if you sing out of tune? Will your friends still be there?

Well, the song asks those questions, but I think the answer is a given…that a friend will be there for you under any circumstances.

So here we are, doing hard times in this damn pandemic. Where are my friends? There they are… keeping in touch, listening to my angst, allowing me a pass on my misgivings… and, finally, giving me hope.

You guys, my friends of the “Me, Myself & I” memoir-writing Class are like best buds. You write essays that make me smile, cry, listen, and become fulfilled. You have saved me, and we have saved each other. We faithfully meet every Tuesday, writing for us, reading for us, sharing our thoughts. And when some of us cannot write? We are patient and encouraging and wait for them to write when they can. We get by, we get high, and we’re gonna keep on trying…all thanks to help from our friends. The line about getting high doesn’t necessarily refer to us having a toke together, but it does mean that being in each other’s company brings on a natural high.

Did I say thanks? I will now.

Thanks, friends.