Going to a carnival is a pretty common experience. Most of us have ridden on some kind of ‘put-together-in-a-flash’ ride whether is was at a fairground, a carnival, a church picnic, a park, or at a place like Cedar Point, Michigan’s Adventure, or Disney World. I bet just driving by a carnival brings back smells, and sounds, and all kinds of memories of elephant ears, corn dogs, bright lights across the top of the “zipper”, excited kids running from one ride to another, stuffed animals and parents complaining about the cost of the wristbands . But do we write them down? I have memories of the Berlin Fair and Deer Park Funland and Cedar Point and all the sketchy rides I’ve ever been on. I wish I had written about the fun I had, and the times I got sick on the rides. I wish I could go back and read what I was thinking during that time. I know once I started reading, the sounds and the smells and the dirt and the friends and the parking and the excitement and the vomit and the boyfriends and the hot summer sun and the barns full of 4H animals and the 4H sheds full of vegetables/corn stalks/baked bread/homemade clothing…would come flashing back to my memory. We all have those memories, yet how often do we read about them? Common in experience – uncommon in writing.
As we go into fall and the flowers fade as the trees turn to color, wouldn’t it be fun to write about what we see and where we see it? I mean, we go from sunflowers to mums to all the oranges and reds and yellows of turning leaves. We go on color tours and watch football games. Our kids go back to school. It’s very common in experience – yet uncommon in writing.
The story of our lives. We all have one to tell. Remember, our lives are one big gigantic poem filled with common experiences. Your life is just like your fingerprint ~ unique yours, one of a kind, and identifiable. It’s worth telling. Common experiences. Write them down – no one else will.
With love from Grand Haven,
Julie