"And Then What Happened?"

Stories.  We all like stories.  Stories about people, places, pets, predicaments.  Stories told in books, on the radio, at the library or in school.  Stories at our bedside, by the campfire, on our sofa.  The familiar voices of our parents, grandparents, siblings, friends, teachers and people we don't know, but who's tales touch us.
Stories inspire us, motivate, and encourage us.  They can also make us laugh and cry and shake in our boots.

By better understanding the characters in stories-fictional or non-we can better understand ourselves and others-both near to us and those we will never meet in person.
We have been taught by story-telling from the beginning of time.  The ancients spent much time passing down stories to preserve their people's history and sense of belonging.  Our Savior used stories to inspire, teach and lead us.

We do more than "like" stories-we need them.  I think we may well be hard-wired to be nourished by tales.

In this wondrous time we now live in, we have means to stories that I never dreamed of as a child. The science fiction of my childhood has been eclipsed by our technological abilities.  Want a story? A few clicks and I download a book from the library.  I can either read it on my screen, or have it read to me by a talented performer or a noted authority.
And we seem to have a need for almost continuous story-telling.  If not a printed story, then there may well be an audio book being read in our ears or a movie being played in our car.

We-Grandma and I-were listening to a story about story telling some years ago.  Yes, in our car.  The narrator was talking about the "Four Most Important Words in Story-telling".  Can you guess?  I thought of "and it came to pass"...but that was more than four.  Then I thought of "Once upon a time", as many stories begin with these four words.  But that wasn't what this story-teller was meaning either.  After some time telling a story, he said that the Four Most Important Words in story-telling are--are you ready to hear this? (no-that is six words-that was a real question...)---"And then what happened?".

As soon as I heard this, I knew the narrator was right!  A good story-one that moves us, involves us, may even change us-is a "page turner".  We want-no, we need to know what comes next.  Sometimes we really, really want to know "and then what happens" after the story ends!  Those are some of the best stories.

OK-why all this blah-blah about stories and story telling?  Well, last Christmas, Grandma gave you some bits and pieces of Christmas stories from our journals.  And she said that the stories need to be continued by you!  Your stories are the "and then what happened" in our grand scheme of things!
I hope you are remembering your stories!  And recording them somehow.  I want to know what happens next!

When I re-started (can something be "re-started"?) writing a bit in this blog, it was at the encouragement of Grandma to share some Christmas-time stories from my young years.  I tried to share a couple of tales.  My brother, Randy, read them and commented that he couldn't remember the incidents too well.  Understandable-he is a whole 2 1/2 years older than I am!  The point is that, as we get old-like me-we don't remember things as well, or as clearly, or from the same perspective as when we are living the stories.  So, my younger kiddos, think about getting in the habit of writing about your lives every week.  Trust me-I'm old and know stuff-your older self will think that is about the best present your younger self could give him/her/it.  OK, I am now confused too.  But you are all smart enough to know what I mean.

I really wish I had some writing from a young Ricky Edge (not your dad or uncle Ricky Edge-me, Grandpa-Ricky Edge.  That was my name from when I was a youngster.  Which was a long, long time ago.  Don't smile-if you hang around long enough, you'll get old too!  And I can still take any of you!)  So-don't be like me (except for my good parts-ask me and I'll tell you what they are.  If I remember) and neglect to record your "and what happened next".

I was going to leave this blah-blog with the beginning of the tale of "Fritz the Wonder Wiener Dog" (which tale does end with the tail of said wonder wiener dog, by the way), but I have written more than anyone wants to read, so I will end here.  But Fritz won't.  His end will come next time.  But his end does come after his beginning.  Hence the tale that may well end with his tail.

Until later, keep smiling.