Recently I have been thinking about how certain stories have enriched my life. Some stories have helped me develop empathy. Others have given me a base for meaningful traditions. Many have provided me with a sense of belonging or purpose. I would like to share a few of these lived experiences that have connected me to the past and helped shape my values.
Glimpses into my grandparents’ lives through the stories they imparted left a lasting impression on me. My paternal grandmother grew up in a large family in the 1920’s and 30’s. Growing up in rural Montana in the depression suggests adversity. Even so, most of her stories were of music and dancing and loving relationships. Rarely was tribulation the theme. She did, however, tell of walking to school in the cold of winter. The story of hardship that stands out to me was of an outbreak of a childhood illness that spread throughout her family. The outcome for her was permanent hearing loss in one ear. The significance of the story was not her disability, but gratitude. Gratitude all eight siblings matured to adulthood. Many families in her generation lost children to disease.
My husband’s grandmother was of the same generation. She was strong and highly independent. Vulnerability was not something she was known for. I witnessed an uncommon tenderness in her when she spoke about the tragedy of losing her second child as an infant due to illness. The outbreak claimed her sister-in-law’s baby as well as others in their little town.
