I'm having a hard time narrowing down a story to focus on. I don't know if it is because I don't like sharing on a super personal level. As my husband stated when I confronted my fears, "Keep it shallow." I'm not sure I want to make a video that has anyone in tears. Some of my past, while I'm using it to educate my children to make sure they do not make the same mistakes (especially my daughter), is not rosy. Other parts are fantastic. I love the fact that my parents, while they were not perfect, tried their damnedest and to the best of their ability to make our little family a - family. My grandfather was a great inspiration to me and a shelter when the world was scary. My husband has been an inspiration on a different level and he gave me two beautiful children. I've had an amazing start to my career.
I will walk through the steps of brainstorming and continue to mull things over.
1. Describe a positive scene from childhood in detail. What led up to this event? When and where did it happen? Who was involved? What were you thinking and feeling? Why is it an important event? What impact did it have on you?
Running across the top of the flood wall in Parkersburg, trying desperately to get my kite to fly. My dad would take the string from me and say, "No. Try it like this." He'd take off running and the kite would soar. I would take the same stance, take off running and the kite would dive. I was always afraid I was frustrating my dad when he was trying to teach me the simple pleasures in life. I wanted so badly for that kite to fly and make him smile. I wanted to shout - "I did it." But that never happened. However, that time spent with my dad was priceless. I have a couple of these memories - hiking, going to get ice-cream, the drive-in movie theater… the list goes on.
2. Describe a negative scene from childhood in detail. What led up to this event? When and where did it happen? Who was involved? What were you thinking and feeling? Why is it an important event? What impact did it have on you?
I didn't know at the time but my dad's outbursts where due to the fact that he was washing his hands with an extremely dangerous chemical called Varsol. Side effects include extreme irritation and memory loss. Dad was always irritated. I had no idea. As a very sensitive child I had a hard time dealing with his ability to control his anger. A lot of very hurt feelings later, I still hold on to those feelings even though I know his behavior wasn't entirely his fault. He almost died due to that chemical. If we hadn't figured out that he was washing his grease stained hands with engine degreaser (to cover up the fact that he was a mechanic) I would not have the answers I have today.
3. Describe a particular event from your teen-aged years that stands out in your memory today. This can be positive or negative. What led up to the event? What happened? Where and when? Who was involved? What were you thinking and feeling? Why is it an important event? What impact did the event have on you.
My grandfather was my hero. He was my safety blanket when the rest of the world sucked. When I was little I sat on his lap and he told me stories. Lots of stories. As I got older he told me stories of WWII and the Korean War and what it was like to be a Marine. Some of his stories where terrifying and his views on the nations he fought were well outdated. Later we discovered the art of warfare meant brainwashing your troops. Unfortunately the Marines in his time period were never "deprogrammed" when they returned to society. Which meant we had a lot of veterans, who held horrible racist beliefs for reasons they did not know. But grand-dad was a shelter. We shared secrets and spent a lot of time just talking. In my teenage years, as his health declined and his strong Marine body began to give out - I took care of his simple needs. It meant spending time with him at least 6 days a week after school and on the weekend. At this point, we had lots of time to share stories. Stories I never grew sick of hearing. Watching his body fail was probably the hardest part. At age 70, he had a hard time holding onto cups. He often dropped them and the contents would go everywhere. I tried to pretend it wasn't a big deal. He tried to laugh his way through but we both knew it was only a matter of time. I remember my last visit. I turned to look at him and I paused. He had a really odd look on his face. Something was wrong. I said, "Grand-dad, I love you." I knew he wanted to tell me something but I also knew what the message was and I wanted to ignore it. My next visit was different. I walked up on the porch to find his newspaper. He told me, "If the newspaper is ever found on the porch, then something is wrong. I will always get up and get my newspaper." There is was. I stopped. I picked up the newspaper and I walked inside. The house smelled odd. I yelled, "Grand-dad!" I stood still and looked side to side. "What is that smell?" was the question that came to mind. And then I looked down the hallway. I saw the reflection in the mirror. It was grand-dad. There I was 17 years old; a 12th grader. It was the last time I saw my grand-dad. As foreign as he looked lifeless, it was my last image of my hero. Oddly enough, I smiled for a brief moment and my thought was, "He has finally escaped the pain."
4. Describe a vivid or important memory from any time in your adult years. Again, this can be positive or negative. It can be about anything – family, work, whatever. The scene stands out in your mind today as being especially vivid or important. Please describe what led up to the event. Then describe the scene in detail. What happened? Where and when? Who was involved? What were you thinking and feeling? Why is it an important event? What impact has the event had on you?
The moment I realized I actually was a mom. Pregnancy, as excited as I was about having children, wasn't actually a turning realization for me that I would be responsible for a life. At 2:00 in the morning, I was sitting in a hospital bed looking at a screaming newborn laying on a table (I didn't get to hold him first, not my idea) under a light, a nurse and doctor dancing around him. I looked over at my husband who kept repeating, "She needs to hold him." I looked at the table, it was still crying. My thoughts were, "OMG, this is real. There is a baby on that table. It is mine and I'm responsible for it." It was an odd realization. One that still crosses my mind from time to time and I remember how scared I was, "What if I break it? How do I feed it?" My mom and mother-in-law were buzzing around the room so excited to see their new grandchild, telling me how beautiful he was. He was beautiful. He was perfect. I knew all these things but the fear of being a new mother was overwhelming. James was the best thing I have ever created, next to his sister. But I still laugh at myself when I think of that moment. It didn't happen when my second child, Michaela, was born. A newborn was "old hat" by that point. I'm not sure I could ever reproduce the awe, surprise, love, fear I experienced that day.
5. In looking back on your life, you may be able to identify particular “turning points” – episodes through which you experienced an important change in your life. Please choose one key turning point scene and describe it in detail.If you feel your life story contains no clear turning points, then describe a particular episode in your life that comes closer than any other to qualifying for a turning point – a scene where you changed in some way. Again, please describe what led up to the event, what happened in the event, where and when it happened, who was involved, what you were thinking and feeling, and so on. Also, please tell me how you think you changed as a result of this event and why you consider this event to be an important scene in your life story today.
The moment I met my husband is a day I'll never forget. I was in a Chemistry lab in college and I heard "Aaron Ford, there is a Veterinary grant available for pre-vets." I turned my head because I was in the same program and I saw him. I literally did a double take, my mouth dropped, and my thoughts as I was looking at my engagement ring was, "He's going to be mine someday." Over the next year we became best friends. He was dating someone and I was engaged. I wasn't sure if he liked me. After a year we told each other about our feelings. It has been 16 years (exactly) since then and I've never looked back. I never thought I'd have someone walk into my life that would make me love them so much. That would have so much respect for me and my beliefs. That would share my beliefs. That I could call my best friend. That moment in 1997, the moment I had to take a double look - was a turning point. My whole life changed that day. Since then, I've celebrated 13.5 years of marriage, two children, a house, and a handful of pets. Aaron taught me that a relationship was built on respect. I learned to communicate my thoughts and feeling with another individual. It wasn't the relationship my parents had and it wasn't the relationship I had with the person I was engaged to. It was more than that. We've had our ups and downs, our trials and tribulations but it always comes back to one thing - the love and respect we have for each other. I'm not sure what kind of relationship I would have today if we had not met. As emotionally and physically abusive my ex was - I am positive I would be either miserable and trapped or divorced. Either way my turning point was a life changer.
I will walk through the steps of brainstorming and continue to mull things over.
1. Describe a positive scene from childhood in detail. What led up to this event? When and where did it happen? Who was involved? What were you thinking and feeling? Why is it an important event? What impact did it have on you?
Running across the top of the flood wall in Parkersburg, trying desperately to get my kite to fly. My dad would take the string from me and say, "No. Try it like this." He'd take off running and the kite would soar. I would take the same stance, take off running and the kite would dive. I was always afraid I was frustrating my dad when he was trying to teach me the simple pleasures in life. I wanted so badly for that kite to fly and make him smile. I wanted to shout - "I did it." But that never happened. However, that time spent with my dad was priceless. I have a couple of these memories - hiking, going to get ice-cream, the drive-in movie theater… the list goes on.
2. Describe a negative scene from childhood in detail. What led up to this event? When and where did it happen? Who was involved? What were you thinking and feeling? Why is it an important event? What impact did it have on you?
I didn't know at the time but my dad's outbursts where due to the fact that he was washing his hands with an extremely dangerous chemical called Varsol. Side effects include extreme irritation and memory loss. Dad was always irritated. I had no idea. As a very sensitive child I had a hard time dealing with his ability to control his anger. A lot of very hurt feelings later, I still hold on to those feelings even though I know his behavior wasn't entirely his fault. He almost died due to that chemical. If we hadn't figured out that he was washing his grease stained hands with engine degreaser (to cover up the fact that he was a mechanic) I would not have the answers I have today.
3. Describe a particular event from your teen-aged years that stands out in your memory today. This can be positive or negative. What led up to the event? What happened? Where and when? Who was involved? What were you thinking and feeling? Why is it an important event? What impact did the event have on you.
My grandfather was my hero. He was my safety blanket when the rest of the world sucked. When I was little I sat on his lap and he told me stories. Lots of stories. As I got older he told me stories of WWII and the Korean War and what it was like to be a Marine. Some of his stories where terrifying and his views on the nations he fought were well outdated. Later we discovered the art of warfare meant brainwashing your troops. Unfortunately the Marines in his time period were never "deprogrammed" when they returned to society. Which meant we had a lot of veterans, who held horrible racist beliefs for reasons they did not know. But grand-dad was a shelter. We shared secrets and spent a lot of time just talking. In my teenage years, as his health declined and his strong Marine body began to give out - I took care of his simple needs. It meant spending time with him at least 6 days a week after school and on the weekend. At this point, we had lots of time to share stories. Stories I never grew sick of hearing. Watching his body fail was probably the hardest part. At age 70, he had a hard time holding onto cups. He often dropped them and the contents would go everywhere. I tried to pretend it wasn't a big deal. He tried to laugh his way through but we both knew it was only a matter of time. I remember my last visit. I turned to look at him and I paused. He had a really odd look on his face. Something was wrong. I said, "Grand-dad, I love you." I knew he wanted to tell me something but I also knew what the message was and I wanted to ignore it. My next visit was different. I walked up on the porch to find his newspaper. He told me, "If the newspaper is ever found on the porch, then something is wrong. I will always get up and get my newspaper." There is was. I stopped. I picked up the newspaper and I walked inside. The house smelled odd. I yelled, "Grand-dad!" I stood still and looked side to side. "What is that smell?" was the question that came to mind. And then I looked down the hallway. I saw the reflection in the mirror. It was grand-dad. There I was 17 years old; a 12th grader. It was the last time I saw my grand-dad. As foreign as he looked lifeless, it was my last image of my hero. Oddly enough, I smiled for a brief moment and my thought was, "He has finally escaped the pain."
4. Describe a vivid or important memory from any time in your adult years. Again, this can be positive or negative. It can be about anything – family, work, whatever. The scene stands out in your mind today as being especially vivid or important. Please describe what led up to the event. Then describe the scene in detail. What happened? Where and when? Who was involved? What were you thinking and feeling? Why is it an important event? What impact has the event had on you?
The moment I realized I actually was a mom. Pregnancy, as excited as I was about having children, wasn't actually a turning realization for me that I would be responsible for a life. At 2:00 in the morning, I was sitting in a hospital bed looking at a screaming newborn laying on a table (I didn't get to hold him first, not my idea) under a light, a nurse and doctor dancing around him. I looked over at my husband who kept repeating, "She needs to hold him." I looked at the table, it was still crying. My thoughts were, "OMG, this is real. There is a baby on that table. It is mine and I'm responsible for it." It was an odd realization. One that still crosses my mind from time to time and I remember how scared I was, "What if I break it? How do I feed it?" My mom and mother-in-law were buzzing around the room so excited to see their new grandchild, telling me how beautiful he was. He was beautiful. He was perfect. I knew all these things but the fear of being a new mother was overwhelming. James was the best thing I have ever created, next to his sister. But I still laugh at myself when I think of that moment. It didn't happen when my second child, Michaela, was born. A newborn was "old hat" by that point. I'm not sure I could ever reproduce the awe, surprise, love, fear I experienced that day.
5. In looking back on your life, you may be able to identify particular “turning points” – episodes through which you experienced an important change in your life. Please choose one key turning point scene and describe it in detail.If you feel your life story contains no clear turning points, then describe a particular episode in your life that comes closer than any other to qualifying for a turning point – a scene where you changed in some way. Again, please describe what led up to the event, what happened in the event, where and when it happened, who was involved, what you were thinking and feeling, and so on. Also, please tell me how you think you changed as a result of this event and why you consider this event to be an important scene in your life story today.
The moment I met my husband is a day I'll never forget. I was in a Chemistry lab in college and I heard "Aaron Ford, there is a Veterinary grant available for pre-vets." I turned my head because I was in the same program and I saw him. I literally did a double take, my mouth dropped, and my thoughts as I was looking at my engagement ring was, "He's going to be mine someday." Over the next year we became best friends. He was dating someone and I was engaged. I wasn't sure if he liked me. After a year we told each other about our feelings. It has been 16 years (exactly) since then and I've never looked back. I never thought I'd have someone walk into my life that would make me love them so much. That would have so much respect for me and my beliefs. That would share my beliefs. That I could call my best friend. That moment in 1997, the moment I had to take a double look - was a turning point. My whole life changed that day. Since then, I've celebrated 13.5 years of marriage, two children, a house, and a handful of pets. Aaron taught me that a relationship was built on respect. I learned to communicate my thoughts and feeling with another individual. It wasn't the relationship my parents had and it wasn't the relationship I had with the person I was engaged to. It was more than that. We've had our ups and downs, our trials and tribulations but it always comes back to one thing - the love and respect we have for each other. I'm not sure what kind of relationship I would have today if we had not met. As emotionally and physically abusive my ex was - I am positive I would be either miserable and trapped or divorced. Either way my turning point was a life changer.
7 comments:
Wow! You have a lot of great topics to choose from. I really like the kite flying idea & how you remember these good moments with your father. I was thinking that a possible dramatic question could be: "the kite string, like my father, was almost within my reach."
I'm a lot like you in that I also have a lot of deeply personal experiences that have shaped me, but that I don't necessarily want to share with the public. I think that you could make an amazing story about your grandfather, and keep it on a snetimental and meaningful level without getting too personal. My nana on my dad's side was a World War II war bride. My grandfather met her in England and brought her back to the US after they married. I will never forget the stories she had to tell me about her life in England during the war. We need to tell the stories of those people we love to keep their memories alive!
Your dramatic question could be...In a world of inconsistency (or chaos, or whatever fits your story best) my grandfather was my rock.
I liked all your stories they made me laugh.
I want to know more about your Grandfather. He seemed to have a huge influence on you. My kids love when my dad comes to visit he make them the center of his world always. Tell me more about your grandfather and you.
I have to agree with Jessica, your dramatic question could be In a world of inconsistency or When things change there is always someone that is or can be a solid foundation in your life for me that is my grandfather.
Nice Job.
Really amazing stories! I love the ideas your peers have proposed to you! I know you will make a great choice. P.S. I called off my wedding 12 days before I was suppose to marry my abusive fiance. Never looked back.
You have wonderful thoughts and events to share and no matter what you pick- it will be fantastic! I like the other ladies suggestion as well!
I like your last two responses. Perhaps you could combine your love and respect of your husband with the children and revelations you had of “being a mom” “being responsible for life” – this is very intriguing to me of you finding your true love and place in the world so to speak. I think your relationship with your grandfather was sweet and interesting, but with your other responses later, I feel you should go with a more hopeful and uplifting approach to your digital story. Maybe your dramatic question could be something like “When I discovered the deepest, truest meaning of love and commitment” or perhaps “My husband showed me the way to the future I was meant to have.”
I am not great at pinpointing the dramatic question, but I can always glean a good essence of a story and how to make it dramatic. Nice job! I look forward to seeing your direction on this.
I loved your stories :) We do indeed share a lot in common regarding our childhoods. I think your dramatic question should also focus on your grandfathers role in your life and how he provided stability to you in a time of turmoil.
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