Merely Day By Day

"Writing makes me aware of the extraordinary in the ordinary," Donald M. Murray, Crafting a Life in Essay, Story, Poem Small Town You might have heard John Cougar Mellencamp sing, "I was born in a small town.  And I live in a small town.  Probably die in a small town and that's probably where they'll bury me."  Every time I hear that song I feel like it was written for me.  You see, I have lived in my small town since before I can remember.  All of my memories are of this small town. Growing up I remember walking to school from my grandma's house everyday as she lived in the same small town, and returning there each afternoon to hangout until it was time to go home for the evening.  I remember going for ice-cream at the local dairy queen, spending summers swimming at the pool with friends, and riding our bikes around the block for hours everyday.  In our small town you could ride your bike into the local dime store for candy or to the drugsto...

During this challenge I've been skimming through books I've collected about writing for inspiration and guidance.  It won't surprise anyone that Donald Murray keeps finding his way into my hands.  He said something about the difference between narrative and essay that caught my attention, "The essay looks at the narrative experience critically - emphatically but evaluative - putting experience in a larger context, trying on the patterns of meaning hidden within the experience." ( Crafting a Life in Essay, Story, Poem p. 57)   What?  I was pretty happy with myself for managing to get a piece written each day and now this.  However, Murray challenges us to take narrative to the next step by turning into a personal essay.  He might be onto something.  I suppose it is true that the people who enjoy our narratives the most are our families and friends.  What about the stranger that stops by?  Does our writing speak to them?  Here's my first...