My Family: Roots And Wings Contest

Prompt 3: Open prompt - Do you have a great story to tell? Give us your best family jewel. What is buried under the dust in your attic? We have a list of prompts that may inspire you to tell your family's story from a new perspective. You are welcome to use any of these prompts or come up with one of your own. "R&W Contest Prompts"

MY PROMPT: My friend says I was hatched and crawled out from under a rock, but the real story is…

My mother had several miscarriages before I was born. She wanted me bad enough to spend many, many months on bedrest. I was early so spent time in an incubator while my mother and father went home. My mom visited regularly which is why I have limited vision rather than being totally blind. For her devotion and dedication, and my vision I am grateful.

When I finally arrived home my mother took very good care of my including visits to the doctors, staying with me after my eye surgery or surgeries I don’t remember which is correct. During one doctor visit she was told I would be an imbecile. Sadly this doctor didn’t mention I was legally blind. Sad my mother and father returned home. Later they found out about my vision and discovered I was not an imbecile.

My childhood was reasonably normal until it was time to go to school. The Maryland School For The Blind in Baltimore was to be my home away from home for many years. It was for my mom heartbreaking. As for me it become my normal. I had no idea about staying home and going to public school until the beginning of my 6th grade year.

It was terrific being home for a change. then things reverted again to me spending time at the school for the blind in Baltimore. This was very hard on me and I’m certain extremely hard on my mom. She smothered me unfortunately because she didn’t want anything horrible to happen to me. Still, I wanted to be home and going to public school. Because I needed to learn braille and other skills for independence, this was at the time the only way for me to get these services.

Halfway through my 10th grade year I reluctantly returned to boarding school in Baltimore. This time was different on steroids. Because I now knew and understood the differences between MSB Maryland School F/T Blind and public school I was unhappy and felt seriously cheated. For example in math class I had to go back several chapters to be in the same place as the class. In public school I had already covered these chapters, and this was with all of the classes. I had been cheated of learning at the speed of public school and therefore had been cheated out of my education.

My mother listened to me vent about this and many other issues about the school that were beyond cruel and unusual punishment. She endured my whining about how you couldn’t visit someone across campus for example without listening to an endless barrage of this that and the other thing as if I was a toddler or just past that stage of my life, IU wasn’t stupid, my brain worked well, and for goodness sake it was on the other side of the campus not on the moon. I know my mothers heart ached for me and my situation.

Finally I was at the point of wanting to quit and stay home. She was wise enough to not try to change my mind. I know she worried all the years I was growing up, worried about me finishing my education, and worried about me until she left this earth. My mother also felt that I lost my vision because she was not able to carry me to full term. I often told here it wasn’t her fault. My mother wisely told me that if I wanted to wait it was ok.

My mother had the will and determination to continue in life. I finished school and attended my graduation and she kept being my mom doing all the motherly things a mother does even after my graduation.

I attended a semester of college and my mother drove me to and from campus each day. When I think back to all that she did for me I realize how richly she blessed me with her wisdom, guidance, and most importantly with bringing me forth into this world.

Now I’m completely independent. God gave me the very best mother on earth and this is a huge blessing. Yes I felt smothered in my early years but I now realize that she wanted the best for me, wanted to protect me, and wanted me to have a full life with every opportunity possible like everyone else. I am very thankful for everything she did for me. I praise God for my mother and thank Him for everything she did for me and my family. Mom you have given me life, guided me, and loved me for everything I am truly thankful. I miss you mom.

4261 characters, 797 words. Readability level: 9-10th grade student.


Bonus Prompt: Go on a journey of discovery!
Using the genealogy tool of your choice, start discovering members of your family tree. Follow a branch of that tree and concentrate on bringing details of your ancestors to life. If you can augment your research with other sources of information, such as oral histories, even better. Write a new story that brings your research together.

I have visited several genealogy websites over the years. It had been several years since I’ve added to my family tree.

I never met my grandfathers. I remember a story about my one grandfather playing Dixieland style banjo. His banjo was a heavy six string instrument. I didn’t know it then but I would become an old-time banjo player many years later.

One of my grandfathers raise crops I believe radishes primarily. This is significant to me because apparently farming is in my blood. I’m currently developing my homestead.

My grandmother had a third grade education. She did very well in life. We were close and I guess her lack of education had an impact upon me in some way because I love to learn but don’t particularly enjoy school. I did inspire of hating to go to school manage to graduate and retain my love of learning.

My granny on my dads side was known to me in my early years bit after I was almost in junior high school, I didn’t see her. She had a sense for survival and was able to manage well inline. I think she passed onto my father some entrepreneurial desires because he successfully sold newspapers as a young boy and eventually had his own business many, many years later and then was able to retire. When I was young i had with my sister a produce stand and later sold corn to customers in my parents business so they could feed the ducks.

My uncle on my dads side raised snakes and I was always found of reptiles. I’ve had snakes and lizards as pets.

My other uncle who is my dads brother was an artist. I am still working on art projects. I remember seeing some of his oil painting. I have painted using oil paints but I think he is better at this than I am, yet I may improve my painting skills.

My father enjoyed building things and developing ideas. I have a sense of adventure and hope to soon build a RMH Rocket-stove Mass Heater. Dad built our in ground swimming pool so I expect that I will be ale to build my RMH.

I just remembered that my grandmother on my mothers side of my family was good at math. She could do this in her head. I have been able to do the same.

I thank all of my ancestors and God for all of the blessings and talents that have flowed through their blood and mine. Family is important and is well worth learning about.

432 words

2305 characters, 432 words. Readability level: 9-10th grade student.