Stories, Legends, and Myths

We were at Kim's a few years ago for a great Deck cook out, and we were discussing some old family events. As that discussion was happening I came up with the following thoughts :

When something happens within the family, or better yet at a family gathering it becomes a family "Story". It will be told over and over and over again. The "Story" will remain exactly as it happened when it is told among that generation.

As we tell that "Story" over and over and over and over again for more than ten years it becomes a family "Legend". It becomes a "Legend" as it has now been passed on to a new generation of the family to live and enjoy. The "Legends" sometimes get embellished to make them more appealing. The new generation will put their own angle on telling the Legend, but they will keep the "Legend" alive.

Upon the unfortunate demise of any family member involved with the incident or after 20 years, I believe the story then becomes "Mythical". This "Mythical" event will have more embellishments added in to it as most of the people who have heard about this event know it only second hand, and weren't there when it was just a "Story".

I will give you a few examples.

This is a Family "Story"

Two Christmas's ago Barb who like the rest of us makes fun of others who fall fast asleep after holiday dinners gave us a Story to tell for years to come when she fell asleep

This is now a Family "Legend"

Some ten years ago, Darrin slipped on some ice down his driveway, and Kim followed slipping after him on the ice as well. Neither was hurt, and they finally made it safely back to the house. Now as you can see I do not know all the details to this event, but more than ten years later this family "Legend" lives on.

Now, here is one that has become "Mythical"

Around 1980 there was a family dinner at Betty and Ernie's house on Morehouse street. Aside from Betty and Ernie the dinner guests included Barb, her husband, Kim, Kevin II, Ruthe, Ernie, Lena, Grandma Baksay, Joanne, and me. This was the dinner that the now "Mythical" family phrase was used for the first time "Ba Jo Ruthe". So you see, this story some 26 years later is now "Mythical". Even though the kids were there they didn't hear the uttering of that famous phrase, they just have heard it happened. I am not even sure of all the dinner guests, but I still tell the story as I was in the Kitchen when Betty "coined" that phrase.

Obviously the "Mythical" events live on in our own mind as we remember them. Please feel free to share a "Story", "Legend" or "Mythical" event and send it to everybody you have in your e-mail from the family. As I will end this posting now I will not go in to the "Thanksgiving Cat Litter Turkey Legend" or the infamous "Cold Spaghetti" myth at this time.