Story Harvesting

One of my greatest passions is working with elders.  I discovered this as a child going to Harewood Nursing Home in Cape Town, one of many businesses my father owned. I adored hearing the stories of those who lived there.  They were the midwives who birthed the gerontologist in me, together with my Aunt Vi and my maternal grandmother, after whom I am named. 

My doctoral work was all about story - a narrative study examining the lives of thirteen South African mid-life and older women (including myself) living in the United States as political exiles, and aging cross-culturally.

There are many forms stories can take and one of them is theater.  I am thrilled to have been the co-creator of a theater production of 7 stories of elders living at Aldersgate Retirement Community.  It was performed on stage to 1,000 people at the McGlohon Theater in Charlotte, and is now a documentary that has been shown at The Chelsea in Chapel Hill and the Carolina Theater in Durham.

"Lyndall leads people on a journey where their personal story intersects the Divine allowing the power of transformation to occur. I often hear Lyndall’s words echo in my heart: “All stories are old, the only thing new is You.” What an amazing gift Lyndall brings to our world as she encourages us to give birth to the sacredness of our own stories."  Kathy Tosney, MSW, Team Member for Mepkin Abby's Contemplative Eldering Retreats

Through the "Power of Story," my own personal story in particular, I lead people to places where they encounter their own story that has been growing inside them and guides them into becoming elders.