LAST -- by Jane Kelley

November's blog topic is supposed to be "last." As I pondered the word, I wondered which of its meanings I should write about. The last? At last?

What about this kind of a last?

 

This thing has lasted through many phases. It was once a useful tool for repairing shoes. Then it became junk in my dad's basement. Now it's kitschy decor. 

The object is the same. But when its story changed, it did too.

This is also true of our lives. We can't change events, but we can try to cope with unpleasant ones by reframing the narrative. A recent episode of Hidden Brain was about Changing Your Story to change your life. One of the techniques mentioned was to shift the end of the narrative. 

In other words -- if bad things have happened and you're in a pile of junk in a basement -- that doesn't have to be the end of your story. There is more to come. And you, dear reader and writer, can do something that inanimate object can't. You can take action and be the hero of that story.

Oh -- one more thought. If you look closely, you can read the word MALLEABLE on the foot. 

This thing is made of cast iron! "Malleable" is the last adjective I'd use to describe it. But hey -- someone sure reframed the narrative.

Jane Kelley is the owner of this last and the author of many middle-grade novels.