Woman. Warrior. Writer. 04-17
Vol. 6 No.3 04-17-24
Haleakalā National Park, Maui
For the past five years I tried to book a cabin at Haleakalā. You can only do it six months in advance and I was always beaten by the bots. Miracle—last fall I got a campsite over spring break! (cabins booked) Heather, myself, our teen sons and their pals hiked 7 miles down Sliding Sands trail and stayed two nights. My routine for my osteoporosis includes walking with a weighted vest which helped prep me—there was a hard stretch! The trip had a classic beginning (‘Mom, where is my raincoat’) but it turned into a great trip because it included all elements of life, both easy and complex. Amazing night sky and sunrise. It. Was. Cold. Birds and flowers. Otherworldly earth. Storytelling. Cheer. Sharing. Outhouse. Hard ground. Trail mix and more trail mix. It unfolded in the space of clouds and earth. 5 miles up to the top. Unforgettable.
Grateful Heather had done this trip prior! She relayed the legend of the goddess Hina who told her son Maui that she had no time to dry her tapa cloth because the day was too short. Filial son Maui lassoed the sun—and the sun moved more slowly across the sky so Hina could properly make her cloth. A tale for a mom-led expedition with boys.
Single moms of kids—when I split I was determined to not have certain experiences for my kid disappear. We had camped a few times as a nuclear family. So the first holiday it was me and the Kid, I took him camping with his pal. I could not light a fire. This is because I did not take anything like lighter fluid to make a campfire because I thought I could do exactly like the ex and make my own fire with a lighter, needles, twigs, and pieces of wood. I had seen it. I could do it. I couldn’t.
Across us was a dad with three sons. Portable oven. Bonfire. The guy had a cozy restaurant. Hot dogs. Burgers. Marshmallows. Pies! Then there was our cold fireless campsite. Briefly, a fire. Mostly the Kid and pal ran around searching for kindling and clicked the lighter to no avail. Finally lukewarm ramen, a few hot dogs? The two boys longingly looked at Mr. Restaurant and Sons. I said, hey we have granola bars!
But no fire made for entertainment. The boys explored, ran around, and had an adventure trying to get a fire going. The next AM it poured. We packed up and the boys crashed out in the car, exhausted from their evening search for kindling. We came back and had a story to tell. And it showed me that the Kid and I would make it and have our own adventures. We camped again, but the next time, the boy’s mom handed me a can of lighter fluid before we drove off.
Joy is always possible.
As I continue to make my way through single motherhood I remind myself that we are 130 years from gender equity. Societies that hurt women, hurt kids. It doesn’t mean we can’t experience joy and wonder, it means that we have to take in all of it—the bad and the good and that we need to make time to center the good and to give ourselves some credit. Make time for awe. Renee Simms once told me that Lucille Clifton had told a group of women you can do everything you want to do. You just can’t do it in the order you expect to do it. That’s OK. Who made up the order, anyway?
Thankful for our beautiful parks and to all who work to make them available to us. Cheeto will never win this battle over the natural world. Hina and Maui know: Cheeto can try to destroy the land, sky, and water. But the elements always side with truth. He stokes fear. But we are brave; our hearts and lives are bigger. The story of love and beauty is ours to believe and to live. Muster the courage to speak up, to be true.
CLASSES
MAY Writing Accountability Group May 2-30, Fridays, 6-8AM (HST): 5-week Zoom writing accountability sessions. FREE to all WWW, Workshop Alums, Syllabus Authors—contact writer@drstephaniehan.com for the link. New students $50
Intersectionality: Manuscript Workshop (6 weeks) Sundays, 6-8AM (HST) June 15-29; July 13-27 (No Class 7/6): An MFA level limited enrollment workshop for writers working on a specific manuscript project. One-on-one meetings. Accountability sessions. Writing submission/interview required. Contact writer@drstephaniehan.com $719 Former students $647
BREAK: How to Write Your Divorce Story Sunday, June 8, 6-8AM (HST): Class includes the BREAK: How to Write Your Divorce Story e-guide. Learn to write your divorce story for your legal/personal file. $99
MASTER NARRATIVES: A Deep Dive Sunday, June 1, 6-8AM (HST): Discover your Master Narratives. Deepen your writing through unearthing your creative process. Open gender. $69
NEWS
Rerun! They are rebroadcasting the Embodied: Life After a Gray Divorce on 4/25 and the podcast on 4/24.
Imprint published an excerpt of my manuscript ‘BREAK’.
I was a guest on author/musician Ishle Yi Park aka Lani Park’s Honey Tea and Talk Story with Lani podcast.
I was covered by KXAN-NBC and CBS4.
RESOURCES
BREAK: How to Write Your Divorce Story a downloadable e-guide so you can easily write your story for your personal/legal file. $29
FREE: Write Your Divorce Story: one page with divorce story basics.
FREE: The Art of Asian America: redefining the term Asian America(n).
Creativity Hint
Be honest to the story. And if it’s autobiographical: Take yourself out of it. Learn to think of yourself as a character. Know that the flow of the story is what counts.
Get your WWW merch. Support women writers and why not own who you are?
ABOUT WWW
WWW with featured authors will return in the coming months! I will share about women authors, former workshop attendees, syllabus writers—so if you want your news shared about your writing and publishing in the WWW substack, drop me a line writer@drstephaniehan.com
Aloha,
Stephanie