One of the most important and satisfying tasks of elderhood is telling the story of how you came to be the unique person you are. Each of us has been shaped by events, experiences and relationships. Our characters have been formed by crises we have lived through, achievements and disappointments we have managed, and the full spectrum of ways we have touched others and been touched in return. The story of a long life fully lived is the great gift elders offer – to their families and future generations, and to themselves.

A fun and creative way of telling this story is by drawing your life’s journey as a map. Maps use images to symbolize where we’ve been, what’s impacted us, what we’ve learned, and how we’ve changed. Peaks of accomplishment and swamps of despair, crossroads of big decisions and shores of new beginnings – images are truly worth 1000 words!

Some reactions from previous Life Mappers -

I found your life mapping gathering ILLUMINATING! Sharing so deeply with a group which changed from strangers to friends through the process was a very new experience for me! It is a good start to my leaving my life history to my kids, the thought of which has passed my mind more often as I’ve aged — to no result ‘til now! I can’t begin to thank you enough! You have a great talent for this work— how lucky you found each other! And what makes it all work so well: You’re a Mensch!

My life map IS messy (but so is my life). I spent my life telling other people's stories. I've been asked to tell my own and was stumped. Mapping has helped.

David, you are a marvel. I am rarely at a loss for words, but I don't know how to express the unique joy and wonder you radiate. I'd be happy to encourage others to embark on the Life Mapping journey. Let's gather in a little while to talk about how our maps change our paths.

Drawing The Map of Your Life is the second group experience in David Oldfield’s Four Seasons of Creativity for Elders series. David has been inviting older people to construct maps of their lives for many years.

The program will be held at the Chevy Chase Neighborhood Library on Fridays at 1:30 pm over 5 weeks: March 22nd, March 29th, April 5th, April 19th & April 26th. (There will be no class on April 12th due to a library closure).

To register, visit our Events Calendar here or email lpace@nnvdc.org. Members and volunteers of NNV will have priority, but we sometimes have extra spaces for non-members. Please email Leslie at lpace@nnvdc.org if you are interested in being put on the waiting list for non-members.