I work with a lovely soul. Her name is Catherine.
She's never shared her age but I'm guessing she is in her mid to late 70's.
She gathers carts, cleans the bathrooms and has the sweetest Georgia peach accent.
My kids and I ran into her today in the parking lot of my work today when we were getting groceries.
I introduced her to my children and we started chatting like we always do.
What I love about Catherine is every time I talk with her I get to hear a story about her life.
About her experiences.
Today as we were talking, the warm Washington summer sun warmed our faces.
I put the kids in the car and started the air conditioning.
as I put my groceries in my car, she shared with me she that wants to get back
to the South soon to see her husbands grave.
I asked her: "How did he pass away, Catherine?"
She shared with me her story:
"He was in Vietnam. We had four boys before he left. He was in the Infantry (the very first line of defense in the military). He loved our country and loved to serve it. He was there only 15 days when he died."
I asked her,
"Did you have a feeling before he left he wouldn't make it?"
She said,
"Oh, yes we both knew. We both knew.... but accepted it.
We went to Hawaii; the two of us for 10 days to be together before he left.
It was a beautiful time. We cried. We grieved. We said goodbye.
I knew the night he died over there. I felt it in my heart.
The next day a military commander came to my door and I told him,
"don't tell me. I already know."
The hardest part was telling my boys. Telling them they wouldn't have a father anymore."
Her story brought tears to my eyes. I could see that she loved him, and still does.
Even after 40 or so years, since he had passed.
I could tell his life meant something to her and who he was.
This is why I love storytelling.
I love hearing stories from others. What they have lived through. What they have experienced.
How they dealt with the cards that were handed to them.
Sharing your story humanizes who you are. It puts humanity to who you are, so others can see it.
Far so often, I've seen (in my life and others) when we hold in our stories, we keep something from the world. We keep something that can be taught, learned or experienced by others. We keep our authenticity from others; the depth of our soul from others.
What could have held my sweet friend Catherine down; was the very thing that inspired me to write what she shared with me, and what inspires others today with who she is.
She's not holding on to it, but giving it away.
Share your story. Share it with others. Share it with the world.
You never know who you will inspire.
She's never shared her age but I'm guessing she is in her mid to late 70's.
She gathers carts, cleans the bathrooms and has the sweetest Georgia peach accent.
My kids and I ran into her today in the parking lot of my work today when we were getting groceries.
I introduced her to my children and we started chatting like we always do.
What I love about Catherine is every time I talk with her I get to hear a story about her life.
About her experiences.
Today as we were talking, the warm Washington summer sun warmed our faces.
I put the kids in the car and started the air conditioning.
as I put my groceries in my car, she shared with me she that wants to get back
to the South soon to see her husbands grave.
I asked her: "How did he pass away, Catherine?"
She shared with me her story:
"He was in Vietnam. We had four boys before he left. He was in the Infantry (the very first line of defense in the military). He loved our country and loved to serve it. He was there only 15 days when he died."
I asked her,
"Did you have a feeling before he left he wouldn't make it?"
She said,
"Oh, yes we both knew. We both knew.... but accepted it.
We went to Hawaii; the two of us for 10 days to be together before he left.
It was a beautiful time. We cried. We grieved. We said goodbye.
I knew the night he died over there. I felt it in my heart.
The next day a military commander came to my door and I told him,
"don't tell me. I already know."
The hardest part was telling my boys. Telling them they wouldn't have a father anymore."
Her story brought tears to my eyes. I could see that she loved him, and still does.
Even after 40 or so years, since he had passed.
I could tell his life meant something to her and who he was.
This is why I love storytelling.
I love hearing stories from others. What they have lived through. What they have experienced.
How they dealt with the cards that were handed to them.
Sharing your story humanizes who you are. It puts humanity to who you are, so others can see it.
Far so often, I've seen (in my life and others) when we hold in our stories, we keep something from the world. We keep something that can be taught, learned or experienced by others. We keep our authenticity from others; the depth of our soul from others.
What could have held my sweet friend Catherine down; was the very thing that inspired me to write what she shared with me, and what inspires others today with who she is.
She's not holding on to it, but giving it away.
Share your story. Share it with others. Share it with the world.
You never know who you will inspire.
"The very things that held ya down are gonna carry ya up, and up, and up!"
-Timothy O. Mouse {Disney's Dumbo. 1941}
-Timothy O. Mouse {Disney's Dumbo. 1941}
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