I think all writers and authors should give back. We should share our experiences with other writers. We should encourage young writers to pursue writing and storytelling. We should offer our advice and assistance.
Charm bracelets help people remember significant moments of life, and so do keepsake stories. Kaylie Guinn shares a story about her charm bracelet and the dangling charms it holds.
Back in February, I spent a few days giving back by encouraging classes of young writers at Heritage Middle School in Northwest Georgia. I talked to them about publishing Project Keepsake, and I shared some writing tips with them.
They were a bright, attentive bunch of kids, and I enjoyed my time there. A few of the students took on my writing challenge and wrote stories about their own keepsakes, and I've posted them here on my blog. Today, I present young Kaylie Guinn's keepsake story to you.
Kaylie has led a "charmed" life. Enjoy her story about her charm bracelet.
The roaring of "Happy Birthdays" filled the room. Everything was simply fabulous that day. We had just finished chomping on some cake when Mom yelled, "It's time to open presents."
I had just turned one, so I really had no idea what was going on. On that day—my first birthday—I received a charm bracelet from my nana and mom. It was a sparkly, silver bracelet with a silver "K" on it, and I loved it so much.
On my birthdays on all the following years, I would get another charm, and every charm meant something different.
On my second birthday, I received an elephant charm, because I loved going to the zoo.
On my third birthday, I got an angel, because my great-grandmother died that year.
On my fourth birthday, I got a frog charm, representing the times when my uncle and I caught frogs in his backyard.
When I was five, we traveled a lot to the beach, so on my fifth birthday, I got a dolphin charm.
When I was six, I had a peace sign party, so that year, I got a silver peace sign with pink diamonds.
On my seventh birthday, I received a pineapple charm, because that was my favorite fruit.
For my eighth, I received a green and pink polkadot one—representing my two favorite colors when I was little.
On my ninth birthday, I got a Bible charm. I enjoyed going to church, and I am a Christian, so the charm was perfect.
On my tenth, I received a birth stone charm to represent my date of birth.
On my eleventh birthday, I got a red and navy charm, because the colors represent Heritage Middle School.
On my twelfth birthday, I got a turtle, reminding me of the time we hooked a turtle at the lake, instead of a fish.
Now, I am thirteen years old, and I received a charm with a megaphone on it.
All through the years, I've received charms that say something about who I am and about my life. The tradition continues, and I find myself wondering: Will the tradition ever end, or will it last for as long as I live?
—Kaylie Guinn, Heritage Middle School
Thanks to Kaylie for sharing her story with Project Keepsake. Keep storytelling alive! Share the stories that matter in your life.