Where I'm From

I am from vinyl records, from Quaker's Puffed Rice cereal and un-airconditioned hot summer nights, wishing upon a star.

I am from the town home complex filled with children playing hide and go seek calling ollie, ollie all come free gathered on a green electric box, from plastic runners on tired shag red carpeting beneath a worn soft velour sectional sofa.

I am from a small backyard filled with the heady scent of orange marigolds from running through long grass in a large field outside my grandparents home, from the untended front garden filled with colourful snap dragons.

I am from card tournaments and a family with a propensity toward the unhealthy indulgence of liquid love.  From Saunders and Cole, Finlay and Marshall.

I am from laughing though your heart may be breaking and tiptoeing through shattered eggshells.  

From "Do you ever look like your Mother." and "Patience is a virtue".

I am from negotiations with God.  If you help me with this I promise I'll never's.  A little girl who once wrote a letter to heaven, placing it under couch cushions, heartbroken to find it there days later.   

I’m from an Ontario city that's not tiny nor metropolitan, of Great Britain heritage, split pea soup and white bread sandwiches of salami, iceburg lettuce and Catalina dressing.

From family get togethers where Poppy would announce from his chair across the room to my grandmother, "Tonight's the night.  You're looking more beautiful than ever Belle.", from the strong arms of Uncle Bob who would let my brother and I hang from them like monkeys on a metal bar. 

I am from a rarely opened box filled with photo albums reminiscent of 70's nostalgic nature scenes.  Of sunsets and wheat fields.  Brown, beige, black.  Faded oranges, reds and purples.   I am from a little girl who held on too tight to her emotions, grew up too fast, who loved her blue shoe scooter and hand made blanket with crocheted trim.  Who wishes she still had them.

Who always had so much love inside to give but was always unsure how or who to give that love to.

Until now.

This was a writing exercise that I saw many of my fellow blogger's writing about and that I truly enjoyed reading.  It intrigued me, excited me and then once I started to do it, terrified me.  I believe this is something everyone should do at some point in their lives.  It wasn't easy and I almost didn't finish it.  But I'm so happy I did.  

Mama Kat's Writing Workshop