Saturday, February 3, 2007

Learning History through Repetition

I was talking to my Aunt the other day and she commented on something my mother always used to say. " What do you mean 'She always used to say?' I never heard her say that!" I felt bad and left out. But then I thought back....I often responded to mom's comments with a kind, but exasperated, "Mom, you've already told me that"...(a thousand times!) Maybe that was part of her plan so I'd never be in the "I don't remember that" category. Maybe I really didn't listen the first time.

In order to spare my progeny any of those moments, I've decided to repeat myself. (Maybe I've decided this before, I don't remember.) This is to help them pass on my stories, wisdom and advice intact to their own children. So when you hear (or read) my words and think "Mom...get the Alzheimer's test" just think of all the embarrassment I've saved you when someone says at my funeral, "She always used to say..." and you know the rest.

(This entry is actually a disclaimer to anyone who recognizes anything I say as having been said by me before. I now have too many posts to read through every time and make sure I haven't already mentioned some interesting bit of my history. Just think of my blogs like you do favorite movies and books that are good over and over again. Maybe I'm repeating myself for a good reason. We'll never know.)

2 comments:

Christie said...

Repetiveness is good...especially since I am married to one of your sons who can't remember a thing about yesterday, let alone his childhood.

mama jo said...

you know stories are always better the second or even third time around....