Dr. Taylor in his book, “The Healing Power of Stories”, writes that, “You are your stories. You are the product of all the stories you have ever heard and lived. They have shaped how you see yourself, the world and your place in it.” With each story we live out or hear, we are creating the plot for our lives. Stories are life-giving. Stories can transform us in a way that facts and stats cannot.
Although, we are all part of God’s big story, each one of our stories is unique. My life has been full of loving (and sometimes not so loving) characters whose stories shaped me. These are those stories.
My story began with only forty-five chromosomes. I was born with robertsonian translocation. All of my genetic makeup is present, but incorrectly connected. Basically, my DNA resembles a Picasso painting. With this said, there is a fifteen percent chance that our lil’ Colonial could be a trisomy-thirteen baby. Google it for more info. After much prayer and research, we have decided to take the risk of natural child-birth. I have always been a B+ student, so we’re feelin’ pretty good about these odds.
This blog was created to compose letters for the child with which I soon hope to be pregnant. I once read that in order to write well, one must give herself a deadline. My deadline is the day I go into labor. One of our most beloved names for our potential daughter is ‘Henley June’. Since the latter has one syllable, it won the place in the title. It’s all about the flow.
As a verbal-linguistic learner, words are my nourishment. I live for the daily dance of conversation. Therefore, I plan to post a story each week. I will type with the hope that Henley June or Easton Lee (favorite boy name) will someday be shaped by their words. I pray that others find these stories life-giving. As the ole’ adage goes, “Knowledge is powerless unless shared”, so PLEASE share the stories or advice that have shaped you. May we gather around the virtual campfire, roast some brats, and share our stories.