all these stories about a friendly grandparent who has wise and wonderful knowledge to share in the form of stories from their youth… I have some to share now, but there’s so much more ahead in life. Different types of adventures are coming!
While I’m not looking to be Aesop, or even Grampoo from Oobi, the occasional stories from my life would be great to be able to pass down to my kid and grandkids (if there happen to be any…) Having stories of the political intrigue at the office isn’t quite the same as talking about planning surprises for Homecoming or planning to visit Austrailia while the ship is in port. (in this case, Homecoming isn’t the game and dance at most high schools, it’s when your deployed military member FINALLY gets back where he or she belongs!)
Not only big events that make lots of smiling memories, it’s little things that slip away, like favorite childhood activities – in my case it was finding a tree perfect for a tree fort or a hidden stream to play in. What better place for a pirate battle than a big tangle of trees overhanging a canal? What better place to act like soldiers than a big long trench dug in a neighboring field and covered with scrap wood from various construction sites? Now that I think about it, we got in SO much trouble for digging that field up. Sheesh. How about the first, and disturbingly tragic, Solo and Ensemble event I attended? Never give up and never say die – not matter HOW terrible you sound!
Even family traditions can be expanded on in stories. The year that my sweetie first deployed, he arranged for a Thanksgiving Dinner to be sent to the house while he was gone. Well, I wound up going to visit my Mom that year so we would have more of a family atmosphere. THERE was a great surprise to come home to! Now each year we jokingly put a stuffed toy turkey on the front porch…
It’s not adventures as grand as the ones in Big Fish, but there are stories that make up a lifetime, and being able to keep them fresh in your mind to share is something that I’m going to have to learn how to do.
