Beginning Before the Beginning

I began my blog to tell the stories of an educator over the years that I taught.  There were quite a few stories .  Then I took some time off.  A lot of time.  Sure, there were more stories to tell, and I still will.  I couldn't put my finger on it, but something felt wrong about recounting these stories without the background information that lets the reader know how I ended up where I did.

Then, recently, when I was working on the family tree, it came to me.  I was taking all the credit for being a teacher who responded to all these situations in the classroom.  In saying "I learned more than I taught", I really wanted to say that each experience in my life was a learning moment that was built upon experiences that were well before I even entered a classroom to teach.  I knew that wasn't where I was going with my writing.  At least that wasn't the intention.

From there, I heard myself as an English teacher congratulating myself on finally settling on a theme for my stories.  That didn't last long because my students haunted my thoughts wanting to know what my audience would be.  Quickly, I answered their question, "Why teachers, of course."  The dialogue didn't stop there however.  I questioned myself about the validity of writing to teachers.  How presumptuous!

As if I was smacked across the head, I knew who my audience was.  One of them has been around for six years now.  The other four have been around much less time, in fact number five right now is just a number.  Their names are Coen, Cali, Bailey, and Olivia.  They are, of course, our grandchildren.  The fifth will be born in February.  In realizing that they are my audience, I also settled on the fact that sharing the stories that I am recording for posterity can be shared with anyone, but my grandchildren are my true audience

So, what prompted me to be more analytical of my own work?  I was looking for something that I lost, or misplaced the other day, and wouldn't you know it, found something else.  It is a digital recorder.  I purchased it back in 2006 because my father wanted to record stories from his life.  At the time he had been struggling with cancer.

There is only one session on the tape.  It was still in the recorder. On that day,  my brother and I prompted my father and his brother Johnny to tell stories of their childhood.  Even though my dad had lost his sight to diabetes by that time, you can hear that he pictured each story as if it were in front of him.  Johnny chimed in with anecdotes of his own.  Their words are priceless to me now.

When I reflected on their words, it hit me that every day I am losing time for what my father truly wanted to do.  That is why I will be going back a little further in time with my blog to tell stories that will go back even before my birth.  Stories that come from my father, aunts, and uncles.  A few from my grandparents, and then my childhood.

Well, Coen, Cali, Bailey, Olivia, and Number Five - I hope you don't mind, but it is time to tell the stories!    The rest of you that are going to take the journey with us, my hope is that you take some time to chronicle the highlights of your life as well as your families.