Thursday, January 3, 2013

I did it!


I did it!


Well, I somewhat did it. At least I made a start!


I compiled family stories for my grandsons in time for Christmas. WoooHoooo!


You might recall that for a couple of years my oldest grandson, Chase, has been asking me to do so.


Last September when Chase asked again, I knew the time had come, as if God nudged me, “You’ve gotta do this, Linda, as an inheritance. Leave this legacy for your family. Do it. Do it now.”





Since then I’ve been working on God-and-us stories for Chase and his two brothers, Finn and Kade—not because our family is so great, but because God is so great.


I sent the boys a collection of random stories, mostly my own but also a few my mother told—since she’s still alive and the boys know her.


Mom’s stories are about growing up in eastern Ontario, Canada, during the Great Depression, about winter travels in a horse-drawn open sleigh with sleigh bells. It occurred to me that when my grandsons sing Jingle Bells, they might have no idea what an open sleigh is, or sleigh bells, so I rounded up these pictures, one old and one current.


Another of my mom’s stories is about the Christmas during the Depression when she asked her parents for a fountain pen. Since the boys have no clue what a fountain pen is, I included old pictures.


Do you remember the Tom Durr story? And my struggles to write it? I rearranged it and finally finished it—after trying half a century to do so! It, too, has a place in my collection.


I snapped the stories into a three-ring binder for now, will keep sending the boys more stories and, I hope, will put them into book format in coming months or years.


This temporary binder format allows me to play around with the order in which to place the stories, and I’m glad of that since currently they feel helter-skelter.  


Because of that, yesterday I took comfort in stumbling upon an old Mary DeMuth quote:


Try departing from chronology: Most people tell their stories in chronological order. Why not brainstorm new ways to structure your memoir?

Maybe make it present to past.

Or use a memory that weaves its way through various episodes of your life.

Or try a strategic leap from one memory to another.

Or capture a memory related to a period of history.

Answer this: How would trying something other than chronology change the face and feel of your memoir?


What about you? Over the holidays did you give family members your stories? If so, please leave a comment below or on Facebook (click on the word "Facebook" toward the top right in this blog). We’d love to hear from you!




10 comments:

  1. So exciting. My 90 y/o mother and her sisters have put together a large collection of stories from their growing up years - thro WWII - and up to present. It IS a marvelous gift.

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    1. Oh, Janet, what a treasure that must be for you all. How is your writing coming these days? Keep us posted!

      Thanks for stopping by, Janet. :)

      Linda

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  2. CONGRATULATIONS, LINDA. Very cool indeed!!

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    1. Hi, Diana, thanks for your encouragement. You are such a prolific writer -- I don't know how you do it, but your children and grandchildren will always be so thankful for the stories you are penning for them.

      Bess you, Diana. Happy New Year, too.
      Linda

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  3. Congratulations, well done, Linda! I liked seeing your photos too. Happy New Year to you and your family.

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    1. Thanks, Penny. Glad you liked the photos. The boys are so dear, so ALL-boy! I was hesitant to include a picture of myself--I've changed so much in my old age that I don't even recognize myself any more!

      Happy New Year, dear Penny!

      Linda

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  4. Congratulations for going ahead and taking the plunge! That is a gift. We have a copy of a HANDWRITTEN notebook, stories of her youth. It is a treasure. We also have a cookbook my mom compiled with family recipes and little stories to go along with each recipe. We all love it and get it out periodically.

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    1. Hi, Olive Tree, it's always so nice to hear from you. Your family books must be real treasures for all of you. I love the cook book idea. A few years ago I compiled one for our extended family but had only snippets attached to some of the recipes. I'd love to do what your mother did and include stories for each recipe.

      You are in my prayers, OT, as you live in your part of the world. Bless you for your faithfulness to follow where God has pointed you. Keep in touch,
      Linda

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  5. Linda, you have wanted to do this for so long! Praise God that He led you to share such wonderful memories with those good looking grandsons. :) I'd love to hear sometime their reactions to learning what sleighbells really are, what a fountain pen is, and so many other mysteries you have probably revealed.

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    1. Oh, Healed By Writing! Yes! I would love to know what the boys' reactions are to discovering their family connection to sleigh bells and fountain pens, and the other stories too! They read one story at night before bed but they live far from here so I will have to be content to just imagine their reactions, questions, smiles, and wonderings. In the spring I will go visit them so maybe I'll take more stories at that time and read them to the boys then.

      Wonderful to hear from you, Healed By Writing. Have a wonderful year in 2013!

      Linda

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