By Patti Parish-Kaminski, Publisher
Not just watching the my world go by – documenting it for posterity.
I write. It’s just what I do. I am so blessed to have people who enjoy what I write and actually take the time to both read and tell me so. I don’t ever take that for granted. If I made someone laugh or prompted them to recall a particular moment in their history, it’s everything to me. It gives me such joy that I was able to part of a person’s life, if only for a moment. Mr. Kaminski says all the time I don’t know people, I don’t have people. I have friends. Doesn’t matter where we go or what we’re doing, I make a friend. I think that’s a great thing. Secretly, I believe it annoys him. That might be why I do it, now that I think about it.
I don’t think it’s a particular talent, this writing thing that I do, but I do think being able to scribe albeit about simply the day to day of this thing called life is truly a blessing, because it’s a blessing to me.
Years ago, folks were known to keep diaries of their lives leaving long-lasting and meaningful documentation of literally history. Of course, that was before tv, radio and such when people spent their free time leaving a legacy rather than being mindlessly engaged with electronic media.
I have an extensive biography section in my personal library as I thoroughly enjoy reading the documentation of people’s lives. People are interesting, downright fascinating at times. That’s how God made us.
I remember letters, receiving handwritten letters from my grandmothers and writing them back in return. Not on a typewriter, not a computer. By hand. Today, I loathe writing anything by hand, mostly because I have the handwriting of a serial killer. That and the fact that I can’t get my thoughts out quickly enough if I’m scribing with a pen. My hand can’t keep up with my brain. Might be an issue worth looking into?
One of the catalysts for starting my columns six years ago, first with The Corona Chronicles and now with On the Porch with Patti, was to connect with friends when connecting was a challenge due to the dreaded C virus. While I still appreciate the opportunity to connect with so many friends each week, the catalyst is more to leave something behind. I want my fam, my friends, my children to have one of the most precious things I could give them years from now: my words.
Now before y’all start reaching out asking if I’m sick or about to cross over, I’m fine. I tell Mr. Kaminski frequently, “I’m happy as a pig!” I personally believe pigs are particularly joyous creatures what with wallowing around in mud playing all day, napping in the sun and eating the rest of the day. That’s pure, unadulterated joy.
At the end of May every year, I’m always feeling a certain kind of way, hence these words about the written legacy. I can’t disclose the reason behind my sentimentality, because I’ve been asked not to scribe on the subject. It’s pretty easy to figure it out, though. One beloved member of my fam turns a year older every May. It may or may not be the last individual I gave birth to. As Forrest says, “That’s all I have to say about that.” See y’all next week – on the porch!
Patti Parish-Kaminski
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