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Friday, August 1, 2008

Straddling Between Two Worlds


It is important for me to celebrate the day of my father's birthday and ignore the day of his death. I will visit his grave today, but I will not lay flowers; I will weep a little perhaps, but I will not spend the day dressed in sadness.

In honor of my father who would have turned 78 today, I submitted a short non-fiction essay entitled Straddling Between Two Worlds to PublicLiterature.org. I am grateful to have been accepted.
"My story is no different than the stories told by other immigrant daughters who find themselves straddling between two worlds, the world they know and remember and the world they imagine only through stories."
A special thank you to Jennifer at Writing to Survive who wrote a wonderful piece entitled Running Back and introduced me to this site.

14 comments:

  1. Beautiful story. Your writing flows so nicely.

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  2. There is an award waiting for you at my blog. I read your blog regularly and enjoy it. So I decided to pass along an award.

    With aloha and a big smile,
    Susan

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  3. Excellent story - it's the story of so many people in my life.

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  4. Thank you Anna and Jennifer. Your words fill me with joy, for I highly respect both of you for your immense creativity and artistic talents.

    Thank you Susan for the award and the mention.

    Hi Cassey

    It's the story of so many...ah yes...but perhaps you and I understand it best? Thanks for the visit.

    I hope everyone stops by PublicLiterature, reads my piece and leaves a comment. Thank you all so much...

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  5. I enjoyed reading your work. Very moving.

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  6. Such a wonderful heartfelt story Marlene...I can tell from your words you had a wonderful father...keep your happy memories close!!

    Cheers

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  7. Thank you for sharing your story, it brought back my own memories of some of my family history.

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  8. Thank you Heather and Kate for stopping by and reading my story. Even though the story has great significance for me, I realize that it also serves as a way for me to connect with others, some type of solidarity I suppose...

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  9. Wonderful story. Going through some genealogical materials the other day, I was marveling at what it took for my great-great-grandparents to leave their homeland (Germany) behind never to return again. Someday I'd like to set foot there in their honor and memory.

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  10. Wonderful Mar...I withheld my response to this until after "the day" had passed; not sure of how you would feel. Your strength shows througout. What a wonderful, wonderful story. Dad would be proud of you. I sure am. - Nards

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  11. Hi Brenda

    "in their honor and memory" --I think that's my point. It's not so much for me but to honor him that I feel a need to perhaps some day see and smell and hear my birthplace, a place my father and mother once called home. It's where I come from.

    Visiting Germany and exploring your roots sounds like a great way to spend a summer vacation. Thanks for stopping by my friend.

    Thanks Nards for your kind words. You are quite perceptive my friend. It was a difficult day but I was happy to see my essay posted as I honored my father. I think of him always...

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  12. I've been to your beautiful island which is my neighbour. My grandad worked there in the 1920's. He died at 104.

    I hope to revisit and on that occasion I'll walk on the beach and remember your dad.

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