365 Memories

     Most of the storytelling venues I attend are for personal storytelling. And sometimes people, especially young people, will tell me they only have so many stories inside of them! They believe that their lives are not interesting enough to come up with two or more tales a month or even two or three a year! – how does one come up with more than a few stories other than to have lived a long time?

    And I think back to the year I was going to send Sarah and John a memory a day while they were in England – and even though I only sent 6 months' worth, I had notes enough to fill a whole year. And you know, they can turn into stories – from family classics like the one about my grandmother, the illegal immigrant, to anecdotes like the time Amanda and Sarah, at grade-school age, were playing cards and Amanda said to Sarah, “You have a great joker face!”

Amanda and Sarah - Joker Faces 

    So I decided to start, with hopes of finishing, this blog of one memory a day for a whole year. My goals are many – first - the challenge, the feeling of accomplishment, the wealth of material for stories for years to come – so success, even if no one else ever reads it!

Story Jam in Dahlonega August 2013

    Secondly, it just might motivate some of the folks who do happen to read an entry or two to write down their own memories, just a list of one or two words – teachers, classmates, trips to the emergency room, Disney movies, unforgettable characters, sins, forgiveness – and this might inspire more stories.

     Thirdly – if others can put a list of memories together, (even in his/her own subsequent blog!) - then perhaps some folks might realize that at least 12 stories could be developed from the memories, and that could be a reflection of a whole life – 12 stories, or 10, or 8 that is not too much. And they could make for a truly decent autobiography to pass down to family.

    And wouldn't that be awesome?

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