I Am From . . . A Meme Worth Doing

A couple of my blog friends recently did this (Magpie Musing and Jason); I've done it before, but decided to do it again and use the same template they used. I do this writing assignment with students of all ages and the thing that is wonderful about it is that it is always different and always amazing. I invite you to play along--if you do, come back and link it in my comments so I can be sure to see it.

I am from ashtrays, lemon Pledge and Mexican pottery.

I am from the Pacific Ocean, manicured suburbs, long, hot summer afternoons spent at the community pool.

I am from Eucalyptus trees, big pots of pink impatiens and pines towering over a pup tent; from windowsill basil, mixed baskets of trailing petunias and lantana and camellias blooming through the winter.

I am from pick-your-menu-all-day birthdays and being outspoken, from Carol, from Lucille, from Dennis and Grant; from sort of two fathers and sort of no father at all.

I am from alcoholics and depressives, from anger and mental illness, from empathy and kindness.

From “you will be beautiful (once you grow up)” and “my, aren’t you assertive.”

I am from an atheist who encouraged me to make up my own mind.

I am from Glendale, California and Scotland and England and Germany and France and the tiniest bit of Cherokee. I am from tossed green salads that always had avocado and homemade dressing and baked potatoes heaped with butter, sour cream and chives.

From my mother coming home, at 17-years old, to all her belongings on the lawn; from my grandmother being at once loving and certifiably crazy. I am from a father that was never there, but a mother that did her best on her own.

I am from treasured costume jewelry, a shoebox of faded photos, unlabeled super-eight film, a treasure trove of cookbooks and every kitchen utensil Williams-Sonoma ever sold. I am from my mother’s hand-written recipes and the memories of the meals she made with love and copious amounts of time.

I am from breaking the cycle and from keeping the best and changing the rest.

The template can be found here.

Comments

[mrs. g.]

I love this Jenn.

[magpie]

nice. for me, reading many of these conjures up smells: eucalyptus, lemon pledge, chives, vinegar, petunias and pines.

[Slow Panic]

I'm going to do this tomorrow. I think the last sentence is my favorite.

[Jason]

I love the contrast in where you're from. So real.

[Janet]

This is great, and you did a fantastic job filling in the blanks :-) I borrowed it to use for the Friday Fill-Ins!

[Manic Mommy]

Mine is half-written. I love breaking the cycle.

[Busy Bee Suz]

I love this so much. The last line is absolutely the best.
I saw this on a few other blogs...might have to try it myself.

[Julie]

Wow, I started off this morning thinking this was an easy blog post, but it resulted in some minor agonizing! Here's my post; I think I will revisit it soon, though, with better "stuff" filling in the blanks.

http://geishaschooldropout.typepad.com/geisha_school_dropout/2011/07/where-im-from.html

[phd in yogurtry]

Really like this. Get to know bits and pieces, the meaningful ones.

[Jenrantsraves]

Beautiful

[green girl in wisconsin]

Yep, that's you all right. And beautifully writ, too.

[marms37]

Absolutely lovely! And, much harder to do that I first thought. I kind of feel like weeping now.

[mom taxi julie]

Interesting! Might have to play with it myself :)

[Bitchin' Amy]

Oh, I loved this post so much... Really beautiful and love the flashes of the life you've experienced along the way.

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