Telling Stories Takes a Front Seat

Family and Community stories take a front seat with many Baby Boomers. I became the family story teller only a few years ago. I don't know if it was the birth of the first grandchild or the death of my second parent that triggered this phenomenon. "When you were little. . . Pop-Pop used to say . . . Remember the time. .."  These thoughts make me wish I had grown up in a family of authors so some of these special times had been written down.

As I interact with my Boomer friends these days, I’ve noticed I’m not the only one. Exchanging stories has enriched my life and deepened my relationships, making this stage of life so enjoyable. Taking you beyond knowing what a person likes and what they do for work, life stories get you closer to the core of what really matters to and motivates your family and friends.

Our community is fortunate to have a vehicle for exchanging stories beyond personal contacts, but within the greater Athens community. I’m the lucky one who gets to coordinate this.  Just last week, Eddie Whitlock, a co-worker who published his first novel, told me about how he got his idea from stories his grandfather used to tell him of a public hanging. Turns out the public hanging probably never occurred, but the story lived on in Eddie’s memory, and now is available for all to enjoy in his novel, Evil is Always Human. I recorded our conversation for anyone who wants to listen on our “Boomers in Athens” website under the heading of Conversations: Sharing a Tale with Eddie Whitlock.

Another afternoon, the project video recorders were running when a community gathered some history at the Winterville Depot. In Winterville: History of a Railroad Town, Donnie Seagraves and Mary Quinn began sharing some slides and facts, but the program ended up with stories and humor from the audience adding to the history of this beautiful little town.

Stories of the Juried Exhibitions at Lyndon House Arts Center are coming up soon.  In fact, we’ve got a preview for you on YouTube. On March 28 at 12:30 p.m., people can gather at Lyndon House, bring their lunch, and hear Nancy Lukasiewicz, curator of exhibitions, and Dr. Carole Henry, UGA art education professor, discuss this 37 year tradition and offer suggestions for looking at the art in this, or any, exhibition. You can add your stories, too, either in person or attending online. Visit our website boomersinathens.org for more information.

Coming soon. The boomer project wants to get the memories of our Vietnam veterans recorded.  We are recording these 5 to 10 minute Conversations “Story Corp” style, and putting them onto our website.  Email mdarnell@athenslibrary.org if you or someone you know has a story about Vietnam or something else you’d be willing to tell our community.