Gathering Place

My husband is reading Melvin R. Gilmore's book Uses of Plants by the Indians of the Missouri River Region. He pointed out in the preface Gilmore's reasons for taking the time to gather this information about the uses of plants. Gilmore states a "potent reason for gathering such information while it may still be obtained, before the death of all the old people who alone possess it, is that it is only in the light of knowledge of physical environments that folklore, ritual, ceremony, custom, song, story, and philosophy can be interpreted intelligently. The intellectual and spiritual life of a people is reflected from their material life. The more fully and clearly the physical environment of a people is known the more accurately can all their cultural expressions be interpreted." This passage is a powerful message about the importance of physical place and the role it plays in our identity as a culture and an individual. I am curious to explore more about how my place has shaped my past and wonder how place will form my future.

I am from

This is an "I am from" poem I'm still working through. It is about growing up in O'Neill - the same place I live now.

I am from a little yellow bathing suit

Age 3

Determined

Follow big sister to the pool

Mom panicked, but found me

Stubborn

Left out

I am from my "fly dress"

Age 5

Spinning

Make the yellow dress twirl out

Full of dreams, carefree

Crooked bow, missing teeth

Smiling

I am from a Halloween pumpkin costume

Age 7

Loved

Sewn by my dad

Stuffed me with newspaper

Warm heart on a chilly night

Trick or Treat

I am from a white first communion dress

Age 8

Curious

Golden cup stains my lips

Round wafer sticks to my tongue

Follow the group

Hands folded

I am from a white training bra

Age 12

Humiliated

In Alco with my mom

Pick it out fast

No one notice my changing body

Hiding

I am from number 33 basketball jersey

Age 15

Fired up

Part of a team

Never much of a competitor

Yet working

Playing

I am from green & white Irish costume

Ages 6-18

Dancing

On the shamrock

From my feet to my heart

To where I came back year after year

To where I came back to call home

Where I Belong - Home

My favorite place to be is at home with my family. My husband, Aaron, daughter, Julia, and dog, Jack, make me incredibly happy. They keep me grounded, keep me laughing, and are good at reminding me to take time to enjoy the moments in life. I am blessed.

Where I Grew - O'Neill

O'Neill is a small town in central Nebraska. I grew up here going to Catholic school and dancing on the shamrock in the middle of main street each St. Patrick's Day. As I reflect on the places of this small town that shaped me: the library where I was filled with imagination and smell of books when I visited, the kiddie park that was just down the street from my house where I spun down the tornado slide, Torpins Rodeo Market where I learned about commitment to a job as a check out girl, and St. Mary's Schools where I created friendships that have lasted a lifetime & faith that has held me upright when times were tough.


One of my favorite places in O'Neill is my parents' backyard. As a child, their hammock held great joy when I played games like "Alligator" or snuggle time with mom or dad. As I grew older, I would lay in the hammock looking up through the tree branches, thinking. Walking into their backyard brings peace and fond memories.



Now I live in O'Neill with my family and this town has taken on new meaning to me as an adult. One thing I truly love about it here is having a sense of community. I like that most people know who I am and that when I go to the grocery store there are friendly faces greeting me. Some think it's intrusive that everyone knows your business (and yes, at times that is not the best thing), but I have seen this town come together in tragedy or times of need and I appreciate it. The school I work at is a good place to be. I have great colleagues and students that make me smile everyday.

Where I Claim Home - Nebraska

The first time I really ventured out in the world for an extended period of time was when I went to UConn for my masters program. A cadre of teachers from around the world went through the Three Summers Program. As I got to know my new friends, it was the first time people asked me about where I was from and what it was like to live in Nebraska. I remember at first I didn't really have an answer. I wondered to myself, what does it mean to live in Nebraska? Where do I come from? For the past eight years I have been thinking about this from time to time - picking up little things here and there that will help me claim my state. Time has passed since I went through my masters program, but I do recall with fondness one of my UConn friends rarely calling me Jen, Jenny, or Jennifer during our time together in Connecticut, instead he called me "Nebraska" and I wore that name with pride. I hope the place conscious writing class I am taking now will help me dig in to search for some answers to what it means to wear that name and what it means to be "from Nebraska".