I had lunch with my grandson, Brady, on Saturday and while we were talking I told him the story of three instances involving my getting an electrocardiogram. He laughed at the end and told me that he “loved it” when I told stories. “You’re a good story-teller.”
Later, it struck me that there is a very distinct difference between writing and telling stories. This blog is about writing stories. I’m writing to record things so that Brady and Eva have them after I’m gone. I want my tales to be a part of my legacy. I want them to know what happened to me, to their grandparents before me, and even their great grandparents. I hope that by sharing the past that they will have a greater appreciation for those who passed this way prior to them. It’s a family history lesson. While it will provide them with only a single point of view, I expect that one is better than none.
The stories that I have to share were never written for me. They were told to me or the recording of my personal experience. They are a history of what I heard, and did, that includes nothing that I’ve read. My retelling is a retelling based upon my memory. I wish that I had a recording of the conversations that led to the stories because the way a story is “told” is sometimes more interesting than the story itself. The verbal history catches the subtleties that the written word fails to capture.
You’ve all heard the question, “Was the movie as good as the book?” It’s a fair question with varied answers. Sometimes it is. Sometimes it isn’t.
I think that the telling of the story is, more often than not, the better way to convey a story; but I don’t have the luxury of sharing all my tales in person. The written record is the best I have right now. I’ll continue to tell stories to anyone willing to listen because part of the joy for me is experiencing the reaction to the tale I’ve told. I’ll also keep writing because this insures that the tale will be available for all who care to read it.
Most importantly my grandchildren will gain some insight into where they came from even if it is from a single point of view.
I have often said that I wish I would have written many things down that I was told by my family members. As I age, so much is lost or jumbled with my own experiences. I am always looking forward to the next thing you write; very enjoyable to read and Bravo for giving of yourself for those who are coming after you.