Broken Memories

     When I was a kid, I was surrounded by talent.  In many of the places where we lived, my dad was the director in the local Little Theater Group.  My mama an' all my brothers filled parts in the many different plays that each group put on.  I used to wish I could play a part in one of those plays, but I never got to.  I've often thought about that an' wondered how it was that I never got to be in any of the plays.  Interestingly, I can't recall a single play that had a part for a little girl.  I think that just may have been the reason I was never in one of those plays.

     Nana, my dad's mother an' Grampa', his step-dad, were also very talented.  They had both been in Vaudeville.  Grampa' started as a very small child, skating an' dancing.  He could do the sideways splits on the backs of chairs, on roller skates, when he was only five years old.  At one point, Grampa' was apparently one of the best dancers in the world, although I did not find this out until very recently and many years after he departed this life.  If you've ever heard of my grampa', Billy Rolls, I'd sure like to hear from you.

     Nana was an aerial artiste`, hanging by her teeth from many feet above the ground and spinning.  I dunno' if you've ever seen this done, but its quite impressive.  I wish both of them had shared some of their stories with me before they passed away.  I've been trying to find out whatever I can to add to my Family History an' genealogy records.  Recently, I had a break-through when I received some pictures of my grampa'.  There he was, big as life; doing the sideways splits on the backs of two chairs.  The picture showed him as an adult an' he was wearing Tap-Dancing Shoes, rather than roller-skates, but it was almost as though he was reaching through the veil an' sharing his moment of glory.

     All of the people in the generation before me have passed away.  That leaves me an' my brothers as the next in line.  I never thought I would be the next generation.  Now, I'm trying to make sure that my children an' my grandies have records of things their ancestors did.  It's not easy, when there's no one to ask about the details.

     Are you writing about your experiences?  I keep a shoe box with notes an' tid-bits of information.  As I go through my day, I often think of things that happened to me or someone I love and I write a quick note; maybe two or three sentences an' pop it in the shoe box.  If I din't have those notes, I don't think my posts would have half the recollections that I've shared.  I do hope you will consider keeping notes about your life.  Just think what a treasure that would be to someone who cares about you.

     Maybe you have a family member such as one of my grandies, who has a unique method for climbing the stairs;  doing somersaults all the way UP the stairs.  How sad it would be if I were to forget such an endearing act.  Is there something that one of your family members does that you'd like to remember?  Today is the day to make a note.  Then someday, when you have a few extra minutes, write a little more detail about your memory.  Someday, whether you realize it or not, someone will thank you, even if all you have is a shoe box full of scribbled memories.  At least, it will be something.

     Until the next time, keep a hug on.

 ~ Yaya