When my husband moved up here for good in February, he brought with him two boxes of mine that I had forgotten about or assumed were here somewhere. My mother saved every letter I ever wrote, I think, and one box was full of my letters. The other box was full of old photos, mementos, and stories I wrote as a child. When I opened these treasures, I felt almost like I was in the attic of an old relative, recently dead, being tasked with going through what was left behind. I have some experience with this, and it wasn't a bad feeling, but it also didn't feel like this was really me, my stuff that I would leave behind -- or not.
Included in one of the boxes was what may well be my very first short story, written in the year 1948, when I was eight. Interestingly, most of my stories have to do with exploration, going far away, or in this instance deep into the forest. Just for fun, I will translate it here and by doing so, my very first short story will be published on the world wide web. Imagine that!
Little Lisa Little Anna
Little Lisa lived in a little red house by the edge of the forest. Anna was her best friend, she lived in a small cottage a bit into the forest. Anna and Lisa wanted to go a little bit further into the forest, but their mommies and daddies didn't want them to go very far into the forest because there could be very dangerous animals there that they perhaps would think were kind and perhaps they wouldn't come home to mommy and daddy and think how sad that would be if the little girls didn't come home in time for dinner and think if Lisa and Anna would never see mommy and daddy again.
The End. -- IB 1948.
oh, that is just precious!!! maybe someday you'll revisit your life and reread all the letters to your mother. i have saved all the letters my mother sent to me from when i moved to texas at age 20 to when she died when i was 40.
ReplyDeleteI have the letters I wrote to my Grandmother and keep them together with some rhyms and stuff my daughters wrote when they were little.. That story you wrote as a child is just too precious! Imagine the letter still being around after all those years!
ReplyDeletePriceless. I miss getting "real mail", I have all the letters that my mom wrote to me when I moved to Canada, and I am sure she has all mine too.
ReplyDeleteOh sweet. Letter i have saved are those from my Dad when i got married.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the story from a budding Ernest Hemingway--what a treasure trove your husband brought you!
ReplyDeleteHey Inger - Your letter has survived after all these years and all your moves -- that, in itself, is quite a feat! Lovely story from a lovely little girl:) That same little girl is alive and well within you. She comes out with your appreciation of the little things in nature -- a bird's call, a feather, a deer grazing, flowers in bloom, and a summer storm. It is a gift to have her so close -- she helps you appreciate life so much more than those folks that seem to lose their inner-child somewhere along their travels in life. The critters & I send our love:)
ReplyDeleteOh, Rachael, that is so special and it may well be true.
ReplyDeleteTexWis, Liesl, Tina, and Nan: Thanks for sharing about your letters. I'm glad you like my first short story. I will share more later.
What a wonderful treasure to find the packet of letters and your very first story! In that collection you have the story of your life, now you should write a memoir!
ReplyDeleteWhat a treasure to have Inger! So, you are a 'natural' at writing stories. That explains a lot!
ReplyDelete...smatterings of 2 Lilla Red Riding Hoods...lovely! What treasures you have re-acquainted yourself with...so fortunate!
ReplyDeleteHow precious is that? I don't have any of the things that I did as a child, my Mom was not a "keeper" and we moved so many times. You are so fortunate to be able to see what formed you to the wonderful person that you are today!
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful!!! What a keepsake!
ReplyDeleteAbout a memoir -- my life has been so crazy weird as I look back on it that I am sort scared to fess up and write a memoir. But I have this and then journals from the 1980s to around 2009 when I started to blog. So most of it is there.
ReplyDeleteHow sweet! Those boxes are true treasures.
ReplyDeleteSweet story. You are going to have a great time reading all those letters!
ReplyDeleteHow is Soldier doing?
I have a few letters I wrote my grandparents when I was that age. They are nice mementos but I don't know if my children would want them or not. I might give them to my granddaughter someday when she is older. Isn't nice that your story was kept so you could enjoy it now.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful that you have that!
ReplyDeleteA lovely story from a budding Ernest Hemingway! What a treasure trove your husband brought you.
ReplyDeleteHaa Haa I found myself gasping for breath while reading, looking for a comma or period.
ReplyDeleteBut not getting home in time for dinner , tragic!
What a precious gift your mother has given you.
What a treasure and how special that she kept them all. Sadly letters are seldom written today with emails and texts.
ReplyDeleteThe permanent record that can be revisited is a thing of the past. Hang on to that treasure and enjoy.
Loved your story. You really started young.
...traigo
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COMPARTIENDO ILUSION
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CON saludos de la luna al
reflejarse en el mar de la
poesía...
ESPERO SEAN DE VUESTRO AGRADO EL POST POETIZADO DE HÁLITO DESAYUNO CON DIAMANTES TIFÓN PULP FICTION, ESTALLIDO MAMMA MIA, TOQUE DE CANELA ,STAR WARS,
José
Ramón...
Hi Inger .. what a lovely box to find .. such a fascinating box of memories - you must be taking yourself back to your childhood days so often - reading and re-reading the letters.
ReplyDeleteWonderful to read - thank you - Hilary
I felt the same joy when I came across a file box of poems, speeches,etc. written by Chuck's Mom. She was a pastor's wife for 41 years and frequently called on to speak for Women's groups etc. She had a love of words and wonderful way of putting them together. I'm glad my father-in-law thought enough of them to save them for us. Hang onto your written treasures... Loved the story!
ReplyDeleteThat IS delightful, Inger. I'm so glad you told me about this -- written in 1948 when you were eight, which means we're the same age, both born in 1940 -- yay for the over-seventies group; aren't we awesome!
ReplyDeleteThe story rushes forward with its run together sentences just like young children would hurry through a forest afraid they might never see mommy and daddy again. I LOVE it. It's truly priceless. And isn't it wonderful that your mother saved it, and other mementos. My mother (died in 2003 at 97) also kept some of my writings that I now have in my possession. These are the things that I love to see shared on blog posts. Thank you SO much!
Ann Best, Memoir Author