Rev. Douglas J. House, M.Div.
“Every picture tells a story”
I once had an English teacher who believed that there was little hope for my writing skills, yet I have come to enjoy writing throughout my life. I have even had the privilege of teaching English writing on a couple of occasions. Writing has generally come easily to me; however, I am well aware of the fact that it can be a chore for some people. I know someone who can get up and speak with eloquent ease, but ask him to write a coherent paragraph and he struggles immensely. Why is this? Why is writing such a challenge for some people, and yet for others words seem to flow endlessly?
While teaching a course at the University of Bridgeport entitled First Year Seminar, there was a textbook that we used entitled Writing About Your Life. It was written by a Yale professor named William Zinsser and it took the readers on a marvelous journey through the ups and downs of writing about life’s experiences. Zinsser framed the argument that everyone has a story to tell. Everyone can write about their life; places traveled, people met along the way, and times that are remembered. Zinsser is right. We live through so many life experiences, and we tend to overlook the value that they offer others. While Rod Stewart sang that “every picture tells a story”, I would suggest that every life does as well. As Zinsser suggests, we each have a story within us.
Whose Story Do We Tell?
When we first set out to create something written, so often we don’t know where to begin. I’ve told my freshmen simply to sit down at their laptop and to do what is often called “free writing”. Just start writing down the flow of thoughts that are running through your head. Initially, pay no attention to spelling or grammar; that can be fixed later. Concentrating on the technical stuff of writing will slow down or halt the flow of thought. Remember that you are chronicling your own life experiences. You are telling your own story through describing events, feelings, encounters, surprises, joys, sorrows, etc. I often tell students that through their writing, they are painting a picture for their readers. The page is their canvas, and the words are their paints. At the conclusion of their writing, they shall have created a work that could inspire others, leaving readers moved by the words they read.
A number of years ago, my wife sat down with her grandmother to record the stories she could spin about her life. When the conversation began, her grandmother confessed that she didn’t quite know what to say. It didn’t stop her, however, and she ended up going on at length about memories of her life. Whether a recording device is used or not, I would encourage everyone to listen to the stories of others and write them down. This way, pictures of history and life in the past will not get lost but will be able to be enjoyed by future generations. So, it can be easy to write about your own life…you know it better than anyone else, but it can be equally meaningful to write about the stories of others.
Remembering Those Who Have Gone On
I remember when my mother died, my brother and I came to the stark realization that now remembering family stories fell on our shoulders. The accounts of when our family came to this country and where they settled, how they lived, etc. now fell to us. While I know some of the stories of our past, I feel woefully unprepared to answer questions my grandchildren may come to ask me in time. If only stories of our past had been written down, future generations would have benefited.
This is why I sense that it can be extremely helpful to tell the stories of those who have passed on. In doing so, I believe a number of things can take place. To begin with, sharing the life stories of those whom we love after their passing will mean that parts of their life will never be forgotten. They will be able to be passed on to future generations. There will be a tie to the past that few other things can create. Beyond this, I have always viewed writing as therapeutic. Those of us who have lost loved ones can often find ourselves needing to do something in our grief, but we are never certain what to do. Writing can be a means of helping us gain perspective once again. It can permit us to give voice to the stories of the ones we love and have lost. Words don’t have to be eloquent, but heartfelt. The stories you share can be simple but meaningful about the person whom you are remembering. In the final analysis, you are permitting their lives to be remembered through a verbal picture that you paint with your words. And you will be helping yourself as well, as you move through the days and weeks after a loss. Blessings to you as you begin the task, and may you find the writing experience as meaningful as I have.
