Hearing the Story of the Ancients

I just created a challenge for myself and thought I'd share it with you. What is the oldest item in your home?

Here are some questions that flow from this first question:

• What periods of time has it traveled through?

• How did it travel if it even did?

• Who or what has held it and when?

• Permitting some artistic license, what has this item heard, felt, seen?

• What is its importance to you?

• If you store it away in pristine condition, what do you secretly wish you could do with it?

• Or do you use or come in contact with it often?

• Do others take an interest in it? How is it different for them?

• Does it stir up memories? Negative or positive or mixed.

• How does it connect you with that time past?

• Does it carry a part of you? If so, what part or parts of you?

• If you were to lose it, what would you tell others about it.

• What do you wish you'd done with it before you'd lost it?

Now I dare you to write these answers. Doesn't have to hang together as a sophisticated story or poem. Just share rich detail. Be specific. Be honest. Don't hide secrets on the page.

It doesn't have to be right - just let the thoughts, images, sounds, and feelings flow.

Old tintype of unknown distant ancestor from maternal family Bible from the 1830s.