tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604430404780110710.post6071602598510631940..comments2024-03-05T06:52:06.523-05:00Comments on Mainely Write: The Passing of AgesDonna Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13738281869266957726noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604430404780110710.post-82588200102909425662014-06-23T13:44:23.610-04:002014-06-23T13:44:23.610-04:00You are welcome! And thank you!You are welcome! And thank you!Donna Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13738281869266957726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604430404780110710.post-19292541408323108322014-06-23T13:43:55.537-04:002014-06-23T13:43:55.537-04:00I am starting to feel a sense of urgency, so I sho...I am starting to feel a sense of urgency, so I should write more now, so I can stop the urgency and enjoy the day!Donna Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13738281869266957726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604430404780110710.post-8605818332666292742014-06-23T13:42:39.325-04:002014-06-23T13:42:39.325-04:00Thanks, Robyn. It is a reminder to me, to ask mor...Thanks, Robyn. It is a reminder to me, to ask more questions when I can, and write down more things I can remember while I can!Donna Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13738281869266957726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604430404780110710.post-56481925739576945752014-06-23T13:41:01.268-04:002014-06-23T13:41:01.268-04:00What a nice opportunity! When I was in college I ...What a nice opportunity! When I was in college I transcribed from cassettes, many interviews of loggers from the Maine woods who were then in their 80's. The stories they told were incredible and enormous treasures! I wished at the time I could have been one of the interviewers, but it was still wonderful to hear their stories of ice harvesting, and log hopping. And then there were the tragedies, no search parties, no cellphones, no river draggings...just moving on and getting back to work. I wonder now where all those typed pages from 40 years ago ended up?Donna Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13738281869266957726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604430404780110710.post-30938670846076388082014-06-23T07:28:48.953-04:002014-06-23T07:28:48.953-04:00I enjoyed hearing a bit of doubt from an elder'...I enjoyed hearing a bit of doubt from an elder's point-of-view. It's different from the norm :-) This weekend I met a 75-year-old man who wanted me to write his life story. He wanted to tell it to me on the spot! There is a sense of urgency when people fear their stories will be lost. Tabathahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14367572663591077922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604430404780110710.post-49914536910855884632014-06-22T20:31:37.002-04:002014-06-22T20:31:37.002-04:00This is beautiful. And not just because I feel lik...This is beautiful. And not just because I feel like I'm living in the same place, which you opened out. Thank you.Jeannine Atkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12886966069866356470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604430404780110710.post-11098909236557645852014-06-22T12:21:52.040-04:002014-06-22T12:21:52.040-04:00You tapped into some incredibly universal emotions...You tapped into some incredibly universal emotions with this. The sense of urgency at the end is very real!Mary Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09078793537148794310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604430404780110710.post-19216682307474376072014-06-21T23:05:08.617-04:002014-06-21T23:05:08.617-04:00Such a powerful poem, Donna - so personal and univ...Such a powerful poem, Donna - so personal and universal. Thank you for sharing. I'll visit it again... Robyn Hood Blackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07279289715664168026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604430404780110710.post-82947745823955743122014-06-21T15:06:01.172-04:002014-06-21T15:06:01.172-04:00I know. Don't I wish. I have some stories, b...I know. Don't I wish. I have some stories, but when talking to my daughter a month or so ago, I realized she'd not heard them. Guess I'd better get writing some down!<br />The poem....this is for fun, so don't stress about it! The poetry police are pretty lenient.Donna Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13738281869266957726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604430404780110710.post-68143775365456724372014-06-21T14:58:44.341-04:002014-06-21T14:58:44.341-04:00No, I don't have a journal. I had tried to st...No, I don't have a journal. I had tried to start one when my first child was born, but did not put much in it. Now I have my blog, which has some personal stories mixed in with poetry - some of which is about family and friends.<br />My daughter had a diary when she was young. One day I came upon her as she had just finished erasing everything in it to start over! Aaahhh! I guess she'd missed the concept of "get another one when this is full"!Donna Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13738281869266957726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604430404780110710.post-89802233731145911692014-06-21T14:21:24.678-04:002014-06-21T14:21:24.678-04:00Love this poem. I have so many regrets from not a...Love this poem. I have so many regrets from not asking my grandparents and parents more about their pasts, and not writing down their stories. Who can know what our kids have picked up and will want to pass on?<br />What I do have to pass on is a giant apology to you--I just realized that I have not sent out anything for the first round of the poetry swap! So sorry, and will get something to you very soon!Buffy Silvermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07223895917772531703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604430404780110710.post-3211044743870239622014-06-21T14:05:59.530-04:002014-06-21T14:05:59.530-04:00But at least we can start. Maybe it's too late...But at least we can start. Maybe it's too late to ask from those who had passed away, but it makes for a good reminder. When the elders engage us in a conversation, do hear instead of sitting to humor them while actually letting every words float in the air. Things we do in youth. I wish I listened to my grandparents...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604430404780110710.post-27109249335141354012014-06-21T13:59:25.475-04:002014-06-21T13:59:25.475-04:00Lisa here. Can't use my main website's Ope...Lisa here. Can't use my main website's OpenID. <br /><br />It is exactly this kind of feeling giving me much regrets for not starting journaling sooner. I should have swallowed all those childish pride for 'girly diarykeeping' instead of losing those stories to the hands of time.<br /><br />Do you keep anything to pass on to the younger ones in the family? A family journal, perhaps?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604430404780110710.post-9612748186227589122014-06-21T11:03:20.461-04:002014-06-21T11:03:20.461-04:00Wish I'd thought to ask more questions! But w...Wish I'd thought to ask more questions! But when you are young you don't even know what questions to ask.Donna Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13738281869266957726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604430404780110710.post-79086434244291675142014-06-21T11:02:19.194-04:002014-06-21T11:02:19.194-04:00Thanks, Terje. Wish I could remember more. I do ...Thanks, Terje. Wish I could remember more. I do have much genealogy information, so at least the family lines have been worked on. But so many stories lost. It would be so nice to have just a bit of story to go with each relative.Donna Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13738281869266957726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604430404780110710.post-54741415280469472512014-06-21T11:00:36.425-04:002014-06-21T11:00:36.425-04:00Thanks, Stacy!Thanks, Stacy!Donna Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13738281869266957726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604430404780110710.post-44972534507394187872014-06-21T11:00:14.171-04:002014-06-21T11:00:14.171-04:00Thanks, Wendy. Wouldn't it have been wonderful...Thanks, Wendy. Wouldn't it have been wonderful to have something written from grandparents and great grandparents - little snippets of their lives? We don't have an excuse with all this digital paraphernalia nowadays!Donna Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13738281869266957726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604430404780110710.post-79627673673668766912014-06-21T10:53:48.904-04:002014-06-21T10:53:48.904-04:00I have a recording of one of my great-aunts up in ...I have a recording of one of my great-aunts up in Newfoundland telling some family stories. Back when I did it I had to buy a special digital recorder for lots of money. Oh, to have had my iPhone then for her or for my parents!<br />What a treasure you will have with these conversations!Donna Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13738281869266957726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604430404780110710.post-78215373254970490182014-06-21T07:58:18.815-04:002014-06-21T07:58:18.815-04:00Donna,
I could revisit this poem again and again. ...Donna,<br />I could revisit this poem again and again. What truth rests within its lines. I'm grateful for the stories my grandparents told over and over as those are the ones that stayed though I can't tell them as they did all of those years ago. <br /><br />Loved these lines (and many others):<br />Put up new wallpaper<br />Paint over faded picture squares<br />But carry the gift forward<br /><br />CathyCathyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08233792477358685156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604430404780110710.post-76041704962788678342014-06-21T03:08:17.844-04:002014-06-21T03:08:17.844-04:00Wisdom holders, story keepers. Some stories stay, ...Wisdom holders, story keepers. Some stories stay, some stories will be lost forever. Beautiful poem.Terje https://www.blogger.com/profile/13569210226711674834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604430404780110710.post-81068097711843825962014-06-21T01:20:40.727-04:002014-06-21T01:20:40.727-04:00Poignant - makes we want to pay closer attention t...Poignant - makes we want to pay closer attention to what I hear, remember, and ultimately pass on.<br /><br />Over the last few years, when I take mom or dad out for lunch I will often, not too obviously, turn the iPhone voice recorder on and tape our conversation. I try to lead the questions to days of yesteryear… surprisingly old folks love going back in time. It's an interesting lunch to say the least.<br /><br />Great post, great poem.Pearson Reporthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05422640826640133140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604430404780110710.post-85679796103998512892014-06-20T18:30:45.826-04:002014-06-20T18:30:45.826-04:00This is just so poignant, Donna. I feel the same w...This is just so poignant, Donna. I feel the same way. Great writing!Wendy Bourkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09475940407969993348noreply@blogger.com