“Stories are light. Light is precious in a world so dark.” – Kate DiCamillo
Some of my favorite memories from childhood were when my uncle, Father John Fallon, a Catholic priest, would tell us stories. He would talk about my grandfather and great-grandfather, about growing up during the Great Depression, and about adventures he shared with my father. He would finish one story, and then somehow, the ending would lead into another memory.
Even the saddest stories were told with a smile. My grandfather’s death wasn’t about their loss, but about how people crossed economic lines and religious affiliation to show their respect to his memory. Having to sell the family farm didn’t end with tears, but with a joke my ancestors played on the wealthy buyer.
I was never bored, even when he repeated the same story from the week before.
+ Read More
