I was born in a small town populated by many Italian immigrants and their descendants along the New York State Erie Canal. Not until I was in graduate school did I know that my mother immigrated from Italy in 1921 with my Nonnie when she was a baby. I grew up adoring my Nonnie and spent peaceful summers learning about baking and gardening and taking weekly walks to the library. While I did not buy anything during those summer months, my Nonnie saved her money to purchase me a Katy Keene comic book. From then on, I fell in love with fashion and thought I might pursue fashion design like my mother did but my photographer uncle and mother insisted that I should go to a four-year college. My dream to become a creative person who wrote poetry and studied photography grew from then on. When in graduate school studying curriculum development, my professor asked me to start a reading program for young delinquent boys in a reform school in the country. From there I followed a calling to help others become lifelong readers. My favorite places were different reading corners inside or nature-inspired areas for writing outside. I can still sense the peace emanating from my alone time with a book or pen and paper. While in high school, I started dating a young man on and off this high school/college romance was not sustainable so I continued to search for love until I met my husband when I least expected romance. While walking with one crutch into a birthday party love struck. We conversed about my painful skiing accident and how I fainted in the hospital after being driven from Massachusetts to my hometown of Syracuse, New York. I became familiar with pain and while I was geographically unsuitable for my love interest, love did grow. I gave my heart to him a couple of years later. During the years that followed in a small village on Long Island, New York, we grew in faith as a family of four experiencing heartaches and joy. Becoming resilient through challenges became important when I once had non-Hodgkins lymphoma in 2003. Remission became a blessed word that brought us eventually to the second chapter of life in our beautiful new build in Virginia. Here, we live with my family which is filled with two amazing little grandgirls. Life is fragile and uncertain but "in family life, love is the oil that eases friction, the cement that binds closer together, and the music that brings harmony" (Friedrich Nietzsche)
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Thank you, Fran Haley, for your awesome rambling autobiography that was inspired by Denise Krebs who took Linda Rief's rambling autobiography and made the following starters for a quick write lesson.
I was born…
I adore…
I bought…
I have…
I never…
One of my…
When I was (age)…
My favorite place…
I can still (sense)…
I dated…
I fainted…
I gave…
I once had…
I am…
I want to…
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Thank you Two Writing Teachers for this daily meeting place to connect with a community of reflective writers.
Carol, your rambling autobiography is so lovely and intriguing - the ancestral history, the way your family guided you along life's journey, and the way you weave love, art, poetry, music, and place together, crowned with faith - all the beautiful things that make you YOU. I love how you describe your relationship with writing, And wow, what a way to start a romantic relationship! Reminds me to "be thankful in all things," for that one crutch opened a door. I imagine you were graceful even then. Amazing grace comes through your words, always - and I am grateful.
ReplyDeleteFran, your words inspired to write further. I had good mentor texts, yours and Desnise's, to guide me. Sometimes, it takes a small community of friends to dig deeper into writing. I am grateful for all of your responses that are always so full of positives to push writers forward. I imagine the elementary children and teachers always seeking your thoughts on their work.
DeleteI thoroughly enjoyed your rambling autobiography! Remarkable how much I learned. I love this, too: "My favorite places were different reading corners inside or nature-inspired areas for writing outside." Very special! You are oozing with love for family, and that is wonderful!
ReplyDeleteMaureen, it is amazing how the rambling autobiography allows the writer to reach inside and add details that were stored away for years. I am so happy that you decided to join our SJT community so that we can all become forever friends in faith.
DeleteI loved learning even more about you, Carol. Thank you for sharing a glimpse into your world.
ReplyDeleteLearning about each other is the beauty of the rambling autobiography, Christie. I am glad that we became friends while honing our wonderologist skills.
DeleteCarol, I loved learning more about you and how places and the people around you shaped you and helped you grow into the person you are. Your strong sense of family shines through your words. "Renewed, fortified, resilient, faith"...these words say it all.
ReplyDeleteBob, I feel so much love for my little grandgirls and want them to experience a strong sense of family without being smothered. My 4-year-old said to me last week when I set up the rules for our Easter Hunt. You are doing this because you are a teacher, Grandma. Ha, Ha. The teacher in me came through and Sierra noticed it. From the mouth of babes...
DeleteI also wrote a rambling autobiography at newtreemom during SOLSC in March.
ReplyDeleteI loved reading yours and getting to know more about you, discovering more we have in common as well as the kinds of differences that enrich friendships (blogging friends, for sure!).