Dear Life,
As you so perfectly captured in your stories, my life has turned a page. It’s with a quiet acceptance, mirroring the strength of your characters, that I share news of my passing. At 92, surrounded by the familiar landscapes of home, I take my leave, a life well-lived life, etched in the hearts of those who cherished your words and mine.
As I embark on my journey beyond the realms of existence, I find solace in the stories I leave behind, the characters who breathed life into my pages, and the readers who embraced them with open hearts.
Remember that curious young girl, Alice Laidlaw, who was raised in her father’s fox farms and her mother’s bookstores?
I was born on July 10, 1931, in Wingham, Canada. Little Alice’s early encounters with language and the complexities of life ignited a spark that never dimmed. Even as marriage and family took centre stage, the written word remained my sanctuary; late nights spent at the kitchen table, weaving tales that would resonate with the world.
The 1960s were a turning point, “Dance of the Happy Shades” waltzing into the world and forever changing the landscape of short fiction.
You, life, would have revelled in seeing the profound impact your stories had, capturing the essence of women’s lives, the quiet struggles, and the enduring strength within the ordinary.
My dear life, you have been both kind and cruel, weaving tales of love, loss, and longing into the fabric of my being. With each word penned, I sought to capture the essence of human experience, to illuminate the complexities of our existence, and to celebrate the beauty found in the ordinary moments of life.
The Nobel Prize, a recognition long overdue, couldn’t change the core of who I was. Just like you portrayed in your stories, small-town life offered a haven to nurture my creativity, a space to observe the human condition with honesty and empathy.
I leave behind my love, Munro’s Books. Do take care of her. She has grown big, she is a bookstore in Victoria, Canada, filled with words, laughter and tears and a whole world of imagination for the children.
“Dear Life”, I will continue your legacy. We, together, showed the world the power of short stories, carving miniature novels that unveiled layers of meaning with every sentence.
Thank you for sharing this journey of words and life. May our stories continue to touch hearts for generations to come.
With a grateful heart,
Alice Munro
All Images: Google
