Lore adapts to altered circumstances and lifestyles, and to cultures and
environments other than the times and places where it had its roots. The
familiar may be comfortable, but youngsters also listen eagerly to new
twists in a myth, another version of a familiar legend, the results of
experiments, and of trials as well as the joys in the human experience.
In storytelling, a culture's traditions, mythology and values offer
opportunities to insert a sense of history into the tale, and add context to
interactions among the family's constituents and the continuity to its
generations. Excessively repeated, they might appear as frayed and
corny platitudes. Yet, within the majority of families, a culture's
mythology, traditions and values retain their relevancy and often, their
majesty.
Tradition passes history to a new generation on what happened to the
family over the years, and, to the extent possible, the reasons.
Grandparents' stories and lore convey facts and interpretations about
customs, events and personalities and how they became part of the
family's structure. Tradition supports the family's sense of generational
continuity.
Social and cultural awareness can provide sanctuary for education, law
enforcement, science, sports, health care, religion, and more. They
encourage the evolution of concepts, principles and systems that
civilizations need to make life livable and enjoyable. Awareness includes
what is wrong with the way things are, as well as what is right.
Values are what it's about: the bottom line. Values, however, are a mixed
bag, and passing them along through stories, lore and memoirs is a
matter of memory, selection, circumstances, and emphasis. Values might
include: stimulating a sense of self-esteem in others; consideration for
another's sensitivities; respect for life; repairing Planet Earth; knowing
the differences between pity, sympathy, compassion, and empathy;
striving to be honest and fair; and respect for institutions and laws but
being willing to act within the law to change those no longer suitable for
the common good. Grandparents (and parents) often prefer to stress
personal proclivities and biases in passing along family values. Values
add substance to awareness and tradition.
If, at first, you have qualms about striking out with your own memoir or
family history, try giving your version of a well-known myth, legend or
folk story. They already have a well-defined plot, characters, and
settings. You can replace and rephrase parts with how you would like
the story to appear. Use the stories and essays in this book or the public
library as models or points of departure for your storytelling letters and
experiments.