I am from....

I read about this creative writing exercise on Owlhaven several months ago, and just got around to working on it last week when Todd and I were able to spend several hours at Barnes and Noble....Sometimes life goes so fast, it's nice to take a few minutes to look back...

I am from feed buckets for calling horses and a dinner bell for calling children, from velveeta and milk jugs with the cap missing.

I am from the lonely, breezy farm that smells of alfalfa and manure; where the fences need painting.

I am from the ping pong table in the basement, buckets of apples from the orchard.

I am from Christmas morning Susa marches, from Francis Marion Bunker and
Great Grandma Pleasant and Moores.

I am from 3 brothers and a football-shaped toybox sliding down the stairs, from Texas Instruments video games and 3 television channels.

I am from dinner-table banter and sarcasm and "Shoes for Poland".

I am from trips down the Current River, vacations to tell my grandchildren about, and campsites with Mr. Brown's snoring. From "freckles where the angels kissed you" and avoiding "you-statements."

I am from 1st Baptist - Methodist - Christian, from immersion and sprinkling, doctrine and inspiration, from a bulging parallel Bible with church bulletins spilling out.

I'm from Normal, Bloomington, Heyworth, and Germany, from lasagna and banana bread.

From Uncle Park who was recruited by the CIA to fly in Vietnam and is still MIA, the Checkers Champion of Coles County, and my brother who was hit by a car when he was 6 years old.

I am from magnetic-cling photo albums in my parents' basement, speech trophies and framed pictures spread throughout several homes.

I am from memories of Christmases and chores on the farm, dances and funerals,
mementos of a family who loves well and loves long.

Maybe some of you will give this a try...I'd like to know where you're from!