Writing Archives - Kathleen Hassan

One Small Step For a Girl

I can't believe it's been fifty years since the Apollo 11 lunar landing. What's even more incredible is that, because there is no atmosphere on the moon, the astronauts' footprints are still up there, perfectly preserved exactly as they were that day. On July 20, 1969, an estimated 450 million people around the world sat transfixed, listening to radios or watching their television sets, as the Apollo Lunar Module touched down on the moon. We held our breath and didn’t exhale until Neil Armstrong announced to Mission Control, “The Eagle has landed.” A collective cheer was heard around the world as he stepped off the ladder, put his foot down onto the lunar surface and spoke these legendary words, “That's one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind.” The significance of that day has been burned into my memory, but not for the obvious, historical achievement for [...]

By Kathleen| 2019-09-13T16:17:09-05:00 July 19th, 2019|

Create Dangerously: As If Someone’s Life Depends On It

The other day on Facebook I read the transcript of a speech delivered by a girl from York PA. Her name is her name is Devon Hornberger and she gave the Valedictorian Commencement Address at her high school graduation ceremony. I was blown away by her speech that began by recounting the abduction of 276 girls from their dormitories in Chibok, Nigeria. They were kidnapped because their abductors believe that girls should not be educated. Her message to her fellow classmates was about the privilege of their education and how young people around the world are risking their lives for that same right. In her speech, she also sited a quote by Edwidge Danicat, an award-winning Haitian-American author: “Create dangerously, for people who read dangerously. This is what I’ve always thought it meant to be a writer. Writing, knowing in part that no matter how trivial your words may seem, [...]

By Kathleen| 2017-03-07T11:44:34-05:00 June 2nd, 2016|

Asking the Right Questions

Many years ago, at the beginning of my speaking career, I created and delivered a workshop on creativity at a Toastmasters International Conference. In my research on the topic, I read a book called Five Star Mind by Tom Wujek, and it talked about the power of questions to give your mind focus. This story is an excerpt from the book: When the Rembrandt painting "The Night Watch" was restored and returned to Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum, the curators performed a simple yet remarkable experiment. They asked visitors to submit questions about the painting. The curators then prepared answers to over fifty questions according to popularity... In a room next to the gallery which held the painting, the curators papered the walls with these questions (and answers). Visitors had to pass through this room before entering the gallery. The curious outcome was that the average length of time people spent viewing the [...]

By Kathleen| 2017-03-07T12:48:03-05:00 August 5th, 2013|

Crawling to the Finish Line: I think I can… I think I can

I am so close. I can see the ribbon. You might imagine that I'd be sprinting full on with my goal in sight. I am almost finished writing my book. And I am crawling to the finish line. Since gearing up to come back to Boston for the summer, I have come up with a million excuses why I haven't been able to write. First it was closing up my condo in Naples. Next, figuring out what to clothes to pack for an entire summer (I kid you not, this kept me up several nights!) Arranging to have my car shipped up here was also on my to do list - I mean what's the point of driving a BMW convertible in Florida all winter if not to show off to all your friends up North in the summah? Then making the move up here and getting settled into a [...]

By Kathleen| 2017-03-07T12:51:01-05:00 July 12th, 2013|

All the Books I’ve Never Written

I have started and then stopped writing more books than I can count. Years ago, I was a member of the National Speakers Association and some of my speaker friends used to tease me and say “Why don’t you write a book called All the Books I’ve Never Written?” At one particular NSA meeting, the topic was on book writing. After raising my hand and sharing the fact that my problem was that I just had too many ideas and titles in my head, the woman sitting next to me, passed me a note that said “No, your problem is that you’re afraid of letting people see the real you.” “What would happen if one woman told the truth about her life? The world would split open.” ~ Muriel Rukeyser I’m sorry in advance if I split the world wide open, but here goes nothin’... Seeing the Real Me I’m [...]

By Kathleen| 2017-03-07T12:52:56-05:00 May 7th, 2013|