Some Responses

Morgan,  you’re right, times have changed.  It makes me so sad when parents tell me that they do not let their children play outside for fear of them encountering some negative interactions.  I remember playing SPUD with neighborhood kids long past our deadline of “when the streetlights come on” and not having a fear in the world – other than getting hit with the ball.

I also agree with your observation of our days being full of responsibilities.  I try to find common joy in routine tasks and incorporate communication and interaction within daily routines.  We do have to be more planful just to get it all in and we have to forgive ourselves, and, like we tell our students, remember that tomorrow is another day and another opportunity.  When we reach out to others struggling with this, I believe that it helps not only them, but ourselves.  We are all in the same boat no matter how different our experiences.  I have a strong belief that “we all have our own stories”.  As I visited my parents in a nursing home several years ago this became even clearer to me.  There are fascinating stories from many residents.  At work I hear families’ stories so often and I am moved each time to learn of their struggles and how they have coped.  It is humbling.  It makes me mad when others make assumptions about families from their children’s behavior that can be quite off the mark.  Assumptions can be dangerous and very disrespectful.  The more we know about each other, the more connected we become.  Sounds like a segway to Web 2.0.

Dumi,

I keep thinking about your story.  I enjoy reading it, but I relished it when you read it to me during our writing group.  It is a story I will share with my daughter.  I think that you will really like Janice Harrington when she comes to visit.  She is a professional story teller who does a superb job with her craft.  She used to work at the Urbana Free Library, but I am not sure if she is still there or maybe at the Champaign library or maybe elsewhere.  At any rate, she has such an expressive way of telling stories with her voice and her body language.  She gets right up close to her students and brings them into the story.  You have to experience it to understand.  Over the years, I have also enjoyed a storyteller named Mike Anderson.  My family just happened upon him in a lodge in northern Minnesota when my daughter was too young for wilderness camping yet.  He is/was a third grade teacher in Springfield, Illinois.  He also makes and plays an instrument called the dulcimer.  His stories are very engaging for children and as an adult I enjoy them, too.  He tells stories about growing up in the Peoria area.  Many of his stories involve his best friend, Denny.  He often takes liberty with reality, but all in good fun.  I introduced him to my nieces in California (gave them his web site and sent them audiotapes/discs of his stories) and one of them developed an online friendship/mentoring relationship with him as he encouraged her writing.  Another storyteller whom I have enjoyed for most of my life is Bill Cosby.  When I was in 3rd grade, I remember saving money so I could bicycle to our Osco’s store and buy his albums.  If you are not familiar with him, he tells stories about his experiences growing up and he has continued to chronicle his life experiences through stories of his youth, college days, marriage, babies, middle age and old age.  The stories are ones that many of us can relate to and he has such a talented way of making common everyday things we do such a stitch.  When my parents were in a nursing home, we spent hours listening to the audiotapes I have and I also found a couple of videos.  When they were on, we were guaranteed to have company stop by.  I was so glad that I could find things that just made them laugh.  And, later, we could quote him, or laugh at similar experiences.    I do the same with my daughter.  We also like listening to books on tape/disc in the car and then talking about them later.  I recently commented on Morgan’s blog about time being precious.  Listening to Books on disc is one way we share a fun experience together while in the car.  That’s the only place we listen to them usually – although sometimes I will take one out with me while I am gardening.  I have a saying I thought was unique, but I read it later so I guess I can’t claim credit for it:  “There is no time like the present and there is no present like time.”

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