personal history

52 Stories

~ marestales

In 2013, Steve Anderson posted an article on the Family Search Blog entitled, “52 Questions in 52 Weeks: Writing Your Life Story Has Never Been Easier.” (https://familysearch.org/blog/en/52-questions-52-weeks) There is a link at the bottom of the article to twelve printable pages, one for each month, each with a different theme, that expands on the 52 questions idea. Each printable has 12 questions relating to the theme of that page, giving a total of 144 questions. What a great way to help our elderly family members and friends write, record, or share their life story!

I have recently spoken with an aunt (about 88 years old) and a neighbor lady (about 90 years old) about writing their life stories. I wasn’t surprised when they told me they hadn’t started this yet. Pretty common story, unfortunately. But they are such unique and amazing women in their own right, it would be a shame for their stories to be lost forever. Their descendants deserve to know about their ancestor. I have given the list of 52 questions to my neighbor and have told her daughters about them. Needless to say, her daughters sounded very excited about the idea and were eager to help her get it done. Now to get them to my aunt!

One of my goals as I move forward is to incorporate into this blog some, if not all, of the “52 Stories” questions with regards to my life and/or the life of my ancestors, as far as I can discover them. I encourage you to do the same. What a great way to “Show Your Tale!”

A Legacy of Reading

~ marestales

Reading has always been a part of my life. I remember the first books my mother shared with me. They contained pictures of birds, songs for children, stories of all kinds, crafts, and more. There was also the Bible Stories  book, my first introduction to scripture stories. My mother had a collection of novels, but I don’t remember watching her or my father read much, except the newspaper.

I was an avid reader growing up. I loved to read biographies of historical figures, like presidents, inventors, statesmen, great men and women of all kinds. My favorite childhood novels were Island of the Blue Dolphins and A Wrinkle in Time.

This past week my five-year-old granddaughter brought home her first book from kindergarten, excited to share her new skills with the family. My daughter was thrilled to share the news, and my heart was overjoyed to hear it. I had shared my love for reading with my daughter, and now that legacy was continuing with her daughter.

Sharing hobbies and talents is just another way to “show your tale.”

Nicknames

~ marestales

We are often defined by the perception of others. Friends, family, and sometimes foes, give us nicknames throughout our lives. Sometimes we choose one for ourselves. I don’t know of too many people who haven’t been christened with one nickname or another in their lifetime.

Nicknames come in a variety of sizes and shapes. They may be derivations of our given names, like “Johnny” for someone named Johnathan, for instance. Sometimes, our nicknames come from things we do, or ways we act around others, or how we look. Nicknames can range from sweet and endearing to downright cruel and rude. Many of them are given to us in our youth. Happily, most go by the wayside, but some remain with us into adulthood. If we consider the various nicknames we have had in our lifetime, perhaps we will see new tales to be told.

I can think of seven nicknames I have been given, only two of which continue to this day. My father had two nicknames for me–“Punkin” and “#3.” The first was probably because I was such a roly-poly baby, but the second was simply for his own ease, as he also would refer to my older sisters as, “#1” and “#2.” In elementary school, classmates shortened my name to “Mars,” but then turned it into a sing-song nickname, “Mars Candy Bars.” (I guess I was a chocolate lover even then.) I had two nicknames in middle school–“Pinky,” because I wore pink almost every day (my signature color), and “Hairy,” a name given to me by my teachers and principal because I often wore my bangs so long they couldn’t see my eyes. (It was 1964. Think, the Beatles.) In fact, the principal called me into his office for a lecture on my hair, the one and only time I was ever sent to the principal’s office!

The other two nicknames remain with me to this day. The first is a  sweet name my big sister gave me, “Marilee,” a blend of my first and middle names. The other nickname, “Mare,” a derivation of the first syllable of my name, was first used by my husband-to-be when we were dating. It has been used by friends and family members ever since.

What tales do your nicknames tell about you?