Our Stories

We had a wonderful time last evening watching a live production called "Civil War Voices". It was compiled from the "True stories, real words - the people and the music that shaped America". Two characters portrayed the love between a husband and wife in the letters they exchanged during the war. Their musical duets were thrilling. Another was a former slave who worked for Mrs. Jefferson Davis, and then spent several years in the White House as a close friend and worker for the Lincolns. Her book was the source of much of the dialogue, but the actress was gifted both in drama and music, and her songs were show stoppers. Yet another portrayed Joshua Chamberlain from his book about his life and the Civil War. The gifted actor looked like Chamberlain, and his music was wonderfully poignant and powerful. Another actor read from his great-great-great uncle's diary.

But it hit me this morning, that the best part of the wonderful production was that these people had left their words and stories for us. If we didn't have those letters, those diaries, those books, we would know so little of the real people involved. When we visited Gettysburg last month, I was assigned a woman who wrote a book about her experiences as a 15 year old resident of Gettysburg during the battle. And it was her accounts which made those frightful days much more real to some of us. That human connection was so precious, and it was only made possible because she had written down her story.

Now here I am writing furiously at my sometime blog. I am writing because once again we are reminded that it is our stories that will last. The stories we tell, and the stories we write, are the stories that will live. And I am happy that I have this way to leave a small legacy to my grandchildren, and their grandchildren. I wonder what future generations may read these words and wonder about life in these times, yet know a little of what it is like here and now, and what it has been like in the past. I realize that I need to write, not in the book my kids gave me, but in this blog where it may be more likely read. I will print these words and put them in that book, but they will also be "in the cloud" for my nieces and nephews and their children, for my students and their children. They will be here for YOU. And I am reminded again that I need to do this in order to share furiously the awesome love that God has overflowed to me. I give it now to YOU. And that is my story.