Poem in Your Pocket Day

Walk around with a poem in your pocket, do ya?  Well, there is a day celebrated throughout the United States and Canada just made for folks such as yourself…

That’s right, April 27th is THAT DAY!  The American Academy of Poets continues to enjoy National Poetry Month (April) by inviting you to join them, by sharing your poetry, or your favorite poetry all day!  Visit http://www.poets.org for suggestions as well as to find out what others are doing in your area!

 The beautiful thing about sharing poetry is that sharing poetry is a beautiful thing! 

 YES! I am sharing a poem with you, here… This is one I wrote for one of the Ministers in my church in honor of his 50th birthday… As this was written back in the 1990’s he has since forgiven me…

Oh, How Nifty to be Fifty

To have the freedom to say exactly what you mean

And the right to be loud, and cause public scenes

And the fashion sense to wear colors that don’t quite go together

And the forgetfulness to dress inappropriately for all types of weather

And to understand they put rails in showers

And to enjoy doing absolutely nothing for hours and hours

And to appreciate creamed spinach and toast with chipped beef

And to be able to ride the bus without having to give up your seat

And to plan vacations for warmer climate states

And to be the reason most drivers tailgate

And to be truly rewarded for your half century

With major discounts through AARP

And while you’re younger than your children and older than your folks

You’re at the right age for public ridicule and to be the butt of cruel jokes

And yet you may be thinking of all the paybacks you could send

Remember, living well is truly the best revenge!

(c) Annette Rochelle Aben 2017

Okay, I showed you mine, now show me yours! 

Tell A Story Day is Wednesday April 27th

Every picture may tell a story but every person has a story to tell too!  Stories of happiness, strength, courage, joy and even fantasy come from deep inside people in all walks of life.  Sometimes these stories are written down in books and blogs so we can read them at our leisure.  Some stories etch themselves on the faces of those who have lived every moment of the tale. Sometimes stories have yet to be coaxed out into the open.

YOU are invited to participate in TELL A STORY DAY, Wednesday, April 27, 2016! I found out about this, doing a Google search for special days in the month of April. There isn’t a group laying claim to starting this special recognition day, but storytelling is as ancient and natural as life itself. Whether you write it for all to enjoy or share it with one special someone, YOU have a story to tell.

So what is the value of telling our stories? Sharing family history is one powerful example!  In my family, which is HUGE, there are many untold stories.  My dad is the last of his family, still going strong at 80 years of age. We talk every week. In fact, we have a weekly ‘Saturday night date’ to stay in touch. Over the last few years, he has shared quite a bit of family history during our talks. I have learned about his childhood, lived in both Canada and the United States. For instance, it’s been interesting to hear stories about my grandmother, who passed years before I was born. I have also learned some things about MY childhood which I did NOT know. While I remember being in the hospital for surgery in my mid-teens, I didn’t know that I had required a blood transfusion.  Who donated the blood?  My father (tears here).  This has been great for us and all it took, was for me to ask.

Are there stories are locked inside of you, just waiting for the invitation to be told? Consider this your invitation!  Consider how you can present your information?  Is entertaining your style?  Perhaps informative and straight to the point will work the best.  Maybe this is something you will blog or will sit down, face to face with an eager listener.  You could always write a letter or even record your voice telling your story. Interpretive dance? That could work too!!

Maybe there’s someone else in your life who is waiting for the opportunity to share a story. Encourage your children to tell you about their day. Ask an elderly family member about the years gone by. Perhaps you might just spend a moment or two with a new neighbor and ask them how they like their new home. You could even take turns with your partner, writing out something about yourselves and then after reading what each of you has written, have a discussion.

There’s a lot of love out there and being genuinely interested in what someone else has to say, is one way of showing love. Trusting someone with your story is powerful. And sometimes, the information you impart can help someone else put together the pieces to a puzzle, allowing them to get on with their life. Of course it can also just be plain, old FUN!

Whatever way you choose, take the opportunity to share a story on TELL A STORY DAY, Wednesday, April 27^th.