Spring is just around the corner and with it comes many sights, sounds and smells that trigger memories of days gone by.

The fragrance of lilacs may take you back to your grandmother’s backyard; the sight of fresh berries may remind you of mom’s homemade pies; or the birds singing in the trees may bring you back to carefree days of playing with childhood friends. Whether you want to leave a legacy for your grandchildren or simply desire to celebrate the individuals and events that shaped your life, recording your memories can be very rewarding.

In order to help you get started or organize what you’ve already written, Lanier Library has invited nationally known author, Robin A. Edgar, to conduct a four-part life writing seminar based on her book, “In My Mother’s Kitchen: An Introduction to the Healing Power of Reminiscence.”The interactive workshop sessions will be two hours long on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the first two weeks of April (April 2, 4, 9 and 11) from 10 a.m. to noon.

“Robin has a lovely way of bringing memories to the surface. I’ve learned a lot from her and plan to start writing down my thoughts each day because it’s so heartwarming to reminisce,” said previous workshop participant, Janice Joyce.

Lanier Library representative Lynn Montgomery adds, “Robin’s workshop has prompted me to engage in reminiscing with my siblings to recall childhood events, especially as siblings can have differing views of those events.”

A lifestyle journalist and storyteller for more than 30 years, Edgar successfully shares her expertise in reminiscence writing at prestigious venues around the country and locally at the John C. Campbell Folk School and Wild Acres Retreat. She also edits and ghost writes autobiographies and serves as a member of the Woman’s Story Circle Network. Her second book, “Personal Legacies: Surviving the Great Depression,” serves as the catalog for her previous museum exhibit at the Charlotte Museum of History in Charlotte, N.C. and PBS documentary with the same title.

“I am on a quest to help people discover the stories about individuals and incidents that shaped their lives,” said Edgar. “Similar to Jimmy Stewart’s character in ‘It’s a Wonderful Life,’ when people reflect on their past, they see they have made a difference.”

In order to give participants full attention, the class size for Life Writing Through the Senses is limited to 10 participants. The cost is $100 for all four, two-hour sessions. To register, please mail a check, payable to Robin Edgar, to Lanier Library, 72 Chestnut St., Tryon, NC 28782 by Monday, March 25.

– article submitted by Lynn Montgomery