I've been thinking of writing an autobiography or memoir, but it just never comes together for me, but I figured if I write one story at a time and post it on my blog maybe once a month, I can do that. Maybe one day I'll pull all the stories together and put them in a book but for now I'll just share some stories with you about my childhood and into adulthood. Some of the stories will be happy, some sad and some horrific because that was my childhood. But they will all be real, things that actually happened. If it seems like something that people enjoy reading maybe, I'll keep it going. These stories will not be in any kind of order; I'll just write them as they come to me.
Going To Our School's Open House as a Kid
I've shared this picture of me and my younger brother when we were teenagers. It was around this time when I was between 14-16 and he was between 12-14 years old that we would go to each other's Open House at our schools. Our parents were divorced by this time and we only saw our dad every other weekend when he would come to get us sometimes. Our mom was too busy with her boyfriends and drugs to go to our schools for anything. So we went to each other's open house and saw the art or whatever the teacher had set out for us to share during it. My brother came to my open house and looked at whatever my teacher had us make to put on the wall for our parents to see when they got there. Then we went to my brother's school.
My brother's school had a carnival during his open house and he got a bunch of tokens for doing good in school that he could use at different booths. They had games, food, and one booth had a bracelet engraving thing going on. My brother took some of his tokens and instead of using them on himself for games or food, he used them to have my name engraved on this bracelet.
The engraving is pretty faint now all these years later, but I still have it. It meant so much to me that he would spend his hard-earned tokens on me for something like this.
Not too long after this my brother and I both ended up in 2 different psychiatric hospitals for suicide attemps. I was 18 and he was 15. So I was in an adult hospital and he was in a youth hospital. One day I signed up for a day pass to take the bus down the street and go see my brother when he was able to have visitors.
He had made this leather bracelet for me during one of their arts and crafts classes they had for the teenagers at the psychiatric hospital he was in. I wore it for a long time until it got too tight on my wrist. But I kept it all these years. It meant a lot to me that he made this for me.
Links to past stories
2023
2024
You and your brother were very close, and that was really important for you both. The bracelets are so sweet.
ReplyDeleteWe're still really close. We talk all the time.
DeleteI loved hearing about your meaningful bracelet. I have momentos from my past that I hold on to and wonder should I write the stories behind them in a notebook for my kids so they know what they are and what they mean.
ReplyDeleteThat's such a good idea.
DeleteYou have had quite a life.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good way of putting it.
DeleteYes, it is a good idea to write one's memoirs for our children and grands to read and know about their ancestry.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Yes it is.
DeleteVery sweet and special gifts ❤️
ReplyDeleteThank you. They meant a lot to me.
DeleteThat was a nice story about the kindness of your brother.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteSeeing those bracelets brought back a lot of memories...I had a leather bracelet like that with my name on it. How fun that your brother gave them to you and you still have them. :D
ReplyDeleteHe was surprised that I still had them when he read this.
DeleteThose were such sweet gifts your brother gave to you! ❤
ReplyDeleteThey really were. They meant a lot ot me.
DeleteThank you for sharing your stories. It's good you have some positive memories to counter the difficult ones.
ReplyDeleteYes, I have to post a few good memories in with all of those bad ones.
DeleteIt was good that you had each other.
ReplyDeleteIt was, and we still do. We talk all the time.
DeleteWhat a wonderful brother!
ReplyDeleteYes he is.
DeleteI thank you for sharing those gifts that were so precious to you. You have had a hard life and your brother helped you pull through the hard times. Being an only child it's hard for.me to imagine. Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteThank you, I appreciate that.
DeleteYou've both had a difficult time of things, but it seems like you've had each other to lean on through the years. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteYes we have, you're welcome.
DeleteYour story is sweet and sad at the same time.
ReplyDeleteI can see that.
DeleteObservations:
ReplyDelete1. The story about your mom is painfully sad.
2. You were a beautiful little girl.
3. As far as memoirs, go for it! I've written a few books about my time in the Navy (and will write a couple more). They're fun and will provide my children a glimpse of what I was like as a young "squid."
4. Probably not surprising are the farthest thing from serious you'll find.
1. Yes it is.
Delete2. Thank you.
3. I am still kicking the idea around in my head.
4. I would never have guessed. lol
Your story touched me deeply. The way you and your brother looked out for each other, even in such difficult times, shows a bond that’s truly unbreakable. Those bracelets are symbols of love and resilience.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate that.
DeleteOh, this one made me Emotional and Touched me deeply too Mary. What a wonderful Brother you have and I can see why you kept those Cherished Objects he Gifted you with. I'm very close to my Younger Brother too. He too ended up in a Juvie Psychiatric Hospital once for harming himself. We had what I considered great Parents and a decent Childhood, but, Dad's Military Career took him away a lot and Mom had Serious Mental Illness so we had to grow up fast and look out for her, she was on a LOT of Psychiatric Meds all of her Life and they never really helped. But, Bless her, she tried to still be a good Mom. I couldn't imagine how we'd of fared had she not been, but Prescription dependency is like any other Street Drug Addiction, so I Feel ya on having a Parent strung out all of the time. It took me many Years, Grandmother Era, to end up in a Psyche Ward with Caregiver Burnout and a Suicide attempt. You and your Brother were sure Adorable Teenagers and having each other was a really good thing. Virtual Hug my Friend, I enjoy your Stories and Memoirs, even the Sad ones. Life itself isn't all Rainbows, Buttercups and Unicorn Farts after all.
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate that. Life isn't all rainbows and unicorn farts all the time for sure. Real stories from a real person. Maybe that's why this monthly post gets so many views. I'm sorry to hear about what you had to go through as well.
DeleteTwo gorgeous looking creatures I see in the photo, Mary. What a gorgeous brother to do those things for you and you to still have them, so lovely.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I appreciate that.
DeleteI'm happy to know you had your brother to be close family for you when your parents weren't there for you. Thank you for sharing your story. ♡
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome.
DeleteYour brother sounds like a sweet guy. Glad you had each other during those difficult times. That's a wonderful photo and mementos to cherish, too.
ReplyDeleteThank you. He is a sweet guy for sure.
DeleteYour brother sounds like he was your best friend. And good that you got along so well and took care of each other. I would have saved those items too. They have so much meaning and love (I'm sure.).
ReplyDeleteWe've always been close, even when he got into fist fights as teens. lol
DeleteThat's a sad story, especially because of the suicide attempts, but a heartwarming one nevertheless. Your brother really loved you. That bracelet looks great!
ReplyDeleteAlso, you looked super-cute.
DeleteThank you, Roberta.
DeleteThat is heartbreaking. Nice that you had each other to lean on. Is he still with us? Or you still close?
ReplyDeleteYes and yes. We're still close and he's still around. I talk to him all the time.
DeleteVery sweet story.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteSo pleased you had each other doing those times and you are still close.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
Thank you.
DeleteDear Mary, this is such a lovely story! Thank you so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome.
DeleteThat is sweet about the bracelets. It's a nice photo of you both and can definitely see the resemblance. I think there's something therapeutic about writing our personal stories.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, I appreciate that.
Delete