Last night I watched the film The Lady in The Van, based on a true story written by renowned playwright and author Alan Bennett. Originally mounted as a stage play in London, the story unfolds as the writer sits at his desk and observes the goings-on of an ‘older’ woman living in her van which she selectively parks in front of his neighbors’ houses. In the rhythm of moving her van every three months or so to another neighbor’s curbside on this upscale London block; she eventually lands a permanent parking spot in the author’s driveway and proceeds to reside there for fifteen years.
Alan Bennett masterfully shares his story; portraying himself through bantering dialogue between two sides of his personality. His writing not only serves to leave this woman’s legacy but as a journey of self-discovery of the author himself.
Besides being a brilliantly written, acted and produced film, which I cannot recommend highly enough, I was struck to my core by the author’s closing line, “You don’t put yourself into what you write; you find yourself there.”
This statement distills down and succinctly clarifies my reason for providing the platform for women to express themselves in community through In Your Own Words Women. My intention is to help you discover yourself in the writing and sharing of your story.
