Stories and lessons

We all grow up with stories.  These stories are rooted in our families and the conversations that we have on a daily and seasonal basis.  I have shared with you before that I come from a family of story tellers.  We are always telling stories.  On Thanksgiving during dinner, my 91 year old grandfather told a story that caused my sister to turn five shades of red and me to stop mid gulp for fear of having my Diet Pepsi come out of my nose.  I cannot tell you that story, but I will tell you another. 

When my mom was a kid she would race her friend to school every day.  My mom came out of the house and was determined to win.  She jumped on her bike and headed down the street.  In her haste, she failed to see the uneven sidewalk and instead of gliding over it, she hit the sidewalk head on and flipped the bike.  She hit the ground, and her bike landed on top of her.  There, she was sprawled out on the sidewalk for all drivers to see.  As she lay there, the school bus drove by.  My mother looked the other way, and to the person driving by, she appeared to be unconscious.  At the same time, three men were on their way to the cemetery down the street to bury a family member.  They were in the limousine.  They stopped and picked my mother up to take her home.  My mom stayed home from school that day, but her sister had already left.  When her sister arrived at the school, the students who had observed the accident reported that my mother had died, and she had been picked up by the funeral car.  Needless to say, my aunt was hysterical with worry and fear.  The school called the house to confirm the story.  My mother answered the phone and assured them she was alive and well.  My aunt was comforted  once she heard the news.

In looking at this story, there is a lesson to be learned.  When my mother would tell it, the lesson would get lost in the laughter, but the lesson remained nonetheless.  The lesson could be to not allow pride to keep you from paying attention.  It could be that we should not jump to conclusions or make judgements until we know the whole story, or it could be that gossip never results in trustworthy information. 

Your assignment is to tell us a school appropriate family story.  Add the details--descriptions, thoughts and feelings.  Once you have told the story, tell us what lesson could be taken form your family story.  You must tell us the lesson.

I encourage you to read other stories posted this week.  These stories that we tell are about us and the community we live within. 

In a week, we will be celebrating Thanksgiving.  For many this is one of the only times we express our gratitude for those around us and for what we have.  This week's blog is a time for us to think about what we are thankful for. 

I am thankful to have a family that no matter my mood they are there for me.  They always accept me. I am thankful for the laughter and hugs of my children.  They are my smile.  No matter what my day has been like, my children remind of what is important.  I am thankful to still have my grandfather around.  He is the living embodiment of my family line.  He brings the history and stories of our past to the future.  He reminds me of what a man/father should be: strong, courageous, passionate about life, gentle, loving, an example for his family.  My grandparents were married for 62 years and my grandpa only ever had eyes for my grandma.  I am thankful for my husband and the family we have together.  I am thankful for all that I have worked for and earned through that hard word.  I am thankful that I get to go to work each day and be part of your lives, to watch you learn, to watch you prepare to embark on your greatest journey, and to watch you graduate at the end of the year. 

Your assignment this week is to post what you are thankful for. 

Happy Thanksgiving and welcome to the holiday season!

The music that we love

Music speaks to us in ways we cannot begin to explain.  It is not just about the lyrics, the artist, the notes written together to form a sound.  It is a conversation that takes place between the music and the soul.  It is the moment when you listen to a song and that song resonates with you like none other. 

We play the song over and over memorizing the chills that run up and down our spine, recalling the way we are transported to another world, internalizing the way we become consumed by a the music--wrapped in it knowing for the three to four minutes it plays we are held prisoner.  This is music.

My description my not be accurate for all of us.  I can only speak to the way music possesses me.  There are many songs that have become part of my DNA.  Many of them songs that others have not heard of or thought about.  One such song comes from the musical Les Miserables.   (Click Les Mis) Listen to the song.  It is not important to me that you like or respond to it the way I do.  What is important is that you think about your own song.

After you listen, respond by commenting on a song that is equally as important to you.  Explain why you like the song and why it is significant.  Is it the lyrics, the music, the moment when you heard it?  Sometimes the time and place we hear a song drives the song deeper into our emotion.  The last question you must answer is whether or not your song has "Musical merit."  Is your song respected in the music world?  Why or why not?  (The song I picked is part of a musical which is thought by many to be one of the greatest musicals written.  It has been performed by many and been around for over 25years.)

Happy blogging!!!!