About Charlene
My Story
I come from a long line of storytellers.
As a young girl, I heard stories about my great-great-grandfather—the one who believed better days were always just around the bend. “Yonder will be better,” was his quiet refrain. I listened as my favorite aunt talked about life on the farm before telephones and television. I loved hearing how my parents met—my mother waiting tables in a small-town café, my father newly returned home from the Korean War.
A few years after I graduated from high school, I stood beside my grandad’s casket and looked down at his worn and gnarled hands. I remember wondering how many stories they held that I would never hear. I wished I had taken the time to sit with him and write them down—to carry them forward so I could return to them when I needed his voice or his steady presence.
That moment stayed with me.
I began keeping journals, not to document perfection, but to make sense of life—of loving and losing, of missteps and second chances, of learning that perseverance is less about strength and more about staying when times get rough.
Over time, I came to understand how much these small stories matter. Not the grand arcs, but the moments in between—the ones we don’t recognize as meaningful until we look back.
That’s why I write: To remember. To notice. And to make room for the stories that shape us, quietly over time.
If you’re here – Welcome!
This is a place for reflection, for remembering, and for stories.
One story at a time.
The Stories Behind the Stories
I’ve spent much of my life paying attention to the moments that tend to slip past unnoticed—the ones shared around kitchen tables, in passing conversations, or long after the moment itself has ended.
I earned my degree later in life. I’ve written books I once doubted I could finish. I’ve climbed mountains, survived serious health scares, and learned that sometimes you just keep going.
Along the way, I’ve raced cars, walked a half-marathon, and danced on Debbie Reynolds’ staircase at the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas. I love old houses, Sunday drives, British television, and the way a good story lingers long after the last page.
Most of all, I believe ordinary moments matter.
They’re the ones that quietly shape us. The ones that remain. The ones we carry forward.
That’s what you’ll find here – reflections on life, writing, lessons learned, and moments that left their mark.
You’re welcome to wander through them at your own pace. Stay awhile. See what resonates.
One story at a time.