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Last week, I was putting some things away when I came upon a framed relic from my childhood. It is a little hand written story on a yellowed piece of scratch paper. I’ve seen it before, but not thought about it; about all it reveals. |
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As is often the case, I was ready far too early, I was waiting to leave for the airport to travel to our granddaughter Ashley’s graduation from the University of Colorado at Boulder. I had time to think about that 75 year-old window into my past. It was written in the second grade and tells a broader story than its few lines might suggest. |
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I started school in the first grade at Nightingale Elementary on Pacific Avenue in Venice, California in January of 1949. It intrigues me that as a second grader I was using cursive writing. My teacher-daughter tells me cursive is no longer taught in elementary school. |
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Here’s the little essay:
“I’m eating a 7-Up now.” Donna Jean Lewis
It is good big ray gave me the money so I could by something and I wanted a 7 Up” |
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Smiling, the innocent lines immediately transported me back to those long ago days when I waited outside of kindergarten for my little sister. We would walk hand- in-hand two miles along the Venice Boardwalk (it is asphalt now) and make our way to our grandfather’s pharmacy which was on W. Washington Avenue. He was our afternoon baby sitter. |
The simple story shows a lot; the pride that my 7 year-old self seemed to have in accomplishing a financial transaction at the market next door to my grandfather’s pharmacy. Plus it reveals that I was allowed to choose anything I wanted. I appreciate the sense of agency I held which was caught in those few words. Clearly, I was at choice as to what to buy with the money. Out in the world I often overhear adults yelling “no sodas, no sugar, no junk food!” I wonder if all this micro-management of children is always necessary. |
Reading between the lines, I now understand that my grandfather, Big Ray, was teaching independence while, also encouraging me to use my newly acquired writing skills. He was a tall, soft-spoken man who never raised his voice, yet he was profoundly influential in helping me to grow into myself. |
Now as a grandmother and a great grandmother, I have the luxury of appreciating the powerful gifts a grandparent, and frankly, any interested adults can bestow upon the youth within their influence.
One of my desires for my eleven grands has been that they become citizens of the world. I have been earnest about this, investing my energy and funds to that end. Now in their young adulthood, I am gratified to find that indeed that is how they see themselves. |
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This child’s story is just one simple clue into how significant caring adults can be in influencing youth. I recall that in the 8th grade, the lady next door, Enid Muse, saw my school work and chided me, “Donna why is your paper so messy?” [The writing had not improved much since the second grade.] I surely looked at her in wonder. I had no idea? “Huh?” I never thought about it. No one had ever said a thing about messy. That was an epiphany for me, and the beginning of my life as a competent student. It was also the end of my sloppy school work.
I understand that Enid cared enough about me to say something. There’s something else, Even though I was just a kid, Enid also took me seriously, spent time with me and talked to me about ideas. My grandfather also talked to me about ideas while my grandmother took me on big trips. They spent time with us. |
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Years ago, my travel pal, Gay, hosted a foreign exchange student from Budapest, Hungary. She let him stay with her family across all four of the young man’s high school years at Laguna Beach High School. Gay’s influence on him has been so profound that even now, years later, she is a welcome part of his family, frequently traveling to Hungary. She and her family shared time with him when he needed it the most. |
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Have you thought about the young people who are within your sphere of influence? What dreams do you have for them? What do they need? I think that we older folks have a significant opportunity to positively impact the lives of younger people. Part of it is that we have the time.
Who impacted you during your formative years? Has there ever been a way to pay it forward?
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