History is a matter of perspective. Yes there are facts such as names, dates and places. But the story of history is written from the perspective of the writer. There is an African proverb that says, "Until the story of the hunt is told by the lion, the tale of the hunt will glorify the hunter." We have to tell our own stories.
During the last Christmas holiday my grandson asked me what it was like when I was a girl. I hadn't really thought about if for quite some time. But I began to tell him my history from my perspective, as a little 'colored' girl growing up in the 1960s, in the former capital of the Confederacy. I told him about sitting on the porch on hot summer nights when all of your neighbors were outside and conversations were held over the fence. I told him about how a group of us would take the bus downtown on a Saturday morning, stay all day, and catch the bus home. I told him that there was no checking in and no cell phones. We were safe because back in those days, every adult of color looked after you as if you were their own.
As I was telling the stories my daughter walked in and mentioned that she had never heard some of them before. She was right. As a divorced parent teaching full time and having lupus, there never seemed to be enough time to tell the stories of my past. It was then that I realized that as a grandparent I not only had the time but also the obligation to tell, not only my story, but the stories of my parents, grandparents, and great grandparents.
My parents and grandparents shared a lot of stories about their lives with me. It was easier then. Television was in its infancy with three local channels and it was only on during certain times of the day. There was one black and white TV in the living room. On the weekdays, Mama watched the 'stories' while we were at school. The TV was usually turned off until the 6:00 news. We could watch cartoons on Saturday mornings and shows like the Ed Sullivan Show on Sunday Nights. There was not internet and no video games.So for entertainment, my parents talked to us. They shared stories of their lives from childhood to adulthood. They gave us words of wisdom and taught us how to live in a world that didn't accept us as equals. And they told us that no one in the world was 'better' than we were and that we could do accomplish anything with education and hard work. They believed in us!
It doesn't really matter whether you are a parent or grandparent, tell your story. Let our young people know that things weren't always easy. Let them know that we made, and are still making, some mistakes. And let them know that their mistakes do not have to define them. They can still rise above any adversity in their lives and that we will always be there to help them.
It is our responsibility to share our history!
During the last Christmas holiday my grandson asked me what it was like when I was a girl. I hadn't really thought about if for quite some time. But I began to tell him my history from my perspective, as a little 'colored' girl growing up in the 1960s, in the former capital of the Confederacy. I told him about sitting on the porch on hot summer nights when all of your neighbors were outside and conversations were held over the fence. I told him about how a group of us would take the bus downtown on a Saturday morning, stay all day, and catch the bus home. I told him that there was no checking in and no cell phones. We were safe because back in those days, every adult of color looked after you as if you were their own.
As I was telling the stories my daughter walked in and mentioned that she had never heard some of them before. She was right. As a divorced parent teaching full time and having lupus, there never seemed to be enough time to tell the stories of my past. It was then that I realized that as a grandparent I not only had the time but also the obligation to tell, not only my story, but the stories of my parents, grandparents, and great grandparents.
My parents and grandparents shared a lot of stories about their lives with me. It was easier then. Television was in its infancy with three local channels and it was only on during certain times of the day. There was one black and white TV in the living room. On the weekdays, Mama watched the 'stories' while we were at school. The TV was usually turned off until the 6:00 news. We could watch cartoons on Saturday mornings and shows like the Ed Sullivan Show on Sunday Nights. There was not internet and no video games.So for entertainment, my parents talked to us. They shared stories of their lives from childhood to adulthood. They gave us words of wisdom and taught us how to live in a world that didn't accept us as equals. And they told us that no one in the world was 'better' than we were and that we could do accomplish anything with education and hard work. They believed in us!
It doesn't really matter whether you are a parent or grandparent, tell your story. Let our young people know that things weren't always easy. Let them know that we made, and are still making, some mistakes. And let them know that their mistakes do not have to define them. They can still rise above any adversity in their lives and that we will always be there to help them.
It is our responsibility to share our history!