Write Your Roots by K. Schloss

 

"WRITE YOUR ROOTS" by K. Schloss

People are always in search of their origin, their roots. My fondest memories are of my dad sitting smoking a cigarette, sometimes a funny little white one, rattling off stories from his childhood and on rare occasion a tidbit about his experience in the U.S. Airforce. I remember myself and my cousin Melissa sitting on the floor intently listening to him recall things he went through growing up in Kingstree, South Carolina. How he and the family picked cotton, and in order to yield the most money from their pickings he would pee in the middle of the bale so it would add weight onto the scale. As a child I listened to my father explain how he invented a strategy, or shall we be frank and call it a hustle, in order to earn a few more coins for the family to receive at the end of the season. The depth of my father's stories was always lost on my youthful mind however, I was always in awe of him and all he knew how to do and the knowledge he held on so many different topics. As an adult, I now understand. Finally realizing the expression on his face as he recalled those memories while telling two young girls how his grandmother, who was his world, relied on him to pull the weight of earning enough money to secure food for the entire family. Incredible. As I type I can actually hear him saying how his grandmother threw the field peas in the ditch and her saying to him God allowed those peas to grow back every year for their survival. 

My point to sharing this one recollection is to let you know I have memorialized these stories in my brain, but I implore you to begin writing down the things conveyed from your elders. Write down those stories you may take for granted and make note of those small pieces of advice given by those who have lived this life beyond your years. One day you may need to refer back to them for life changing advice and foresight. Imagine if you inherited a set of writings detailing the strength of your family and any great obstacles they overcame, along with the origin of your family traditions and those nicknames you grew up using to refer to relatives. 

In keeping with the theme of this blog I must take it a step further and advise you to begin those writings for your offspring. You could begin by drafting life advice in a notebook to leave to your children, nieces and nephews. Your thoughts on how to manage stress, finances, relationships, acceptance and rejection may prevent the youth within your reach from experiencing undue harm and mental health pressures. A lot of people are simply uncomfortable conveying thoughts and advice to youth on topics such as sex, relationships and drug use, so it may be easier to write it down and have it read in private. I grew up in a family where everything was discussed open and freely, but I understand now as an adult this was not the norm and most of my peers did not have that same dialogue with their parents and adult role models. Take time to unapologetically document your life for others to benefit. The writing of your roots starts with you. 

Need a writing service?