My son had a homework assignment last weekend for his English class.  It was to write a poem based off of George Ella Lyons poem titled “Where I’m From”.  He hates writing, very unlike his mother.  Once he got on a roll, it was really fun to see what he came up with and it got me thinking about this assignment and what my own might look like.  Inspired by 8th grade English homework, is this post…

I am from my mother’s laughter.  I am from my brother making us laugh so hard that my mother couldn’t breathe and would start wheezing while tears were coming out of her eyes because my brother was actually THAT funny.  That would make us all laugh even harder until we were all crying and if we tried to stop and caught each other’s eye, we would just start right back all over again.  I am from E. Pole School, where I met my oldest, longest friends.  I am from Mrs. Cunningham in the 1st grade threatening to “shake us up” and Mrs. O’brien in 2nd grade taking me out for a hot fudge sundae after I didn’t cry all week in school.  I am from her making me love school again.  I am from all the books I have read from The Babysitter’s Club series to the cookbooks in my mother’s kitchen.  I am from my mother’s pumpkin bread and tollhouse cookie squares and chicken and rice and shepherd’s pie.  I am from family game nights and that night we played Balderdash and I laughed so hard that I inhaled a green bean and had to blow it out my nose.  I am from the organizations my parents volunteered with and the bike- a-thon my mom brought me to when I was about 10.  I am from my dad’s involvement in the Taunton Rotary Club and the amazing friends we met through the international exchange programs and the people we hosted in our home.  I am from my grandfather’s garden of enormous tomatoes that I used to eat like apples.  I am from fresh malasadas dripping oil through the paper bag carrying them home from the bakery.  I am from The Christmas City and a very Christmas family.  I am from The Brady Bunch and The Facts of Life, The Wonder Years and General Hospital.  I am from a babysitter that was cooler than cool, letting me stay up on Saturday nights to watch The Love Boat and Fantasy Island.  I am from laying on the beach in the summers listening to Days of Our Lives on the radio with my best friend.  I am from all the fur babies that made each and every day better.  I am from the parties my parents let me have in the basement.  I am from sharing my mom’s chex mix during lunch in high school so we would all have bad breath.  I am from the instruments I have played: the piano, the clarinet, the alto and soprano saxophones.  I am from playing 45 during study hall and never being able to play it with anyone who wasn’t from my hometown.  I am from Reo Soeedwagon and Van Halen.  I am from New Kids on the Block and Debbie Gibson.  (Nope, not Deborah, Debbie because back then she was still Debbie.)  I am from my garbage pail kids cards, Fayva Shoes, and the smell of my mom’s Jean Naté.  I am from my family’s sarcasm, learning laughter is always the best medicine.  I am from road trips and road trips and road trips.  I am from my brother’s friends sitting on top of me to steal my sandwich.  I am from traveling to England alone to visit friends when I was 18 years old.  I am from trying Guiness and night clubs that stayed open until 4am and coming home with a pierced belly button. 

I am from boarding a plane to travel to Denver for what would be one of the best, but also hardest, most homesick times in my life.  I am from my friends all over the world, the bus rides, the conversations, the hugs.  I am from the love and kindness of friends from so many states, and other countries as well, that traveled to see me and offer support when my husband was sick and after he died.  I am from the years of silliness with Bobby.  I am from the expressions on his face when I was doing something crazy,  but he loved me even more for not caring.  I am from dancing in the kitchen. I am from watching Goonies and Beautiful Girls and The Sound of Music over and over again.  I am from my mom’s Christmas party every year and me continuing the tradition with my own family.  I am from the grief of losing my mom and being lost for 2 years and then losing my brother after that.  I am from the hope and fire in my soul that sought out the healing.  I am from the joy of all my babies, the four here on earth and the one watching us with his daddy in heaven.  I am from heartache and hope, joys and frustrations, rain and sun. I am from every single person I have ever met and every single person I have yet to meet. I am from the lessons they have taught me and the memories we have made. I am from all of these things and people and places. Most of all, I am from the love of the people who have raised me, held me up along the way, and continue to do so each and every day. I am from them allowing me to use what I have inside of me to raise children to be the good in this world.  I am from being able to give what I have inside to offer hope to all those I am blessed enough to touch.