Drama of Life

I love "The Waltons" television series. The nostalgic show, while set in a slightly earlier time, reminds me of my early growing-up years. We lived in a mountainous area, had a red-haired, home-maker mother and a dark-haired, handsome father, full of kindness and wisdom, but shrewd as they come.

Even the siblings, for the most part, fit some of the characteristics of us kids. You might say my oldest brother, Sam (known as Duane then), was a John-boy type--Daddy's helper, smart, and a leader and teacher for the younger ones. I remember him showing me how to do simple sewing, pushing the needle through the fabric without sticking my finger.

"How do you do that?" my 5-year-old self asked, and he replied, "Well, you've just got to be that sure of yourself if your gonna sew!" He made the first pan of brownies I'd ever tasted, getting hold of the recipe and proudly turning out a treat.

Mary-Ellen could have been blonde Pauline, a tom-boy, brave and a little brash, not to mention beautiful, in her place as next-oldest.

Elizabeth and Jim-Bob make me think of my brother Bobby and myself, only I was the older one by almost two years. We were playmates as little kids, doing crazy and silly things and laughing about them. Once we played a trick on Mama. We knew the seat of the rocking chair was broken, but we placed the seat back on as if it had been repaired, then thought it was funny when she fell through!

I remember explaining to Bobby as we examined one of the rare dolls I had, "Look, that's where God put it together," running my finger along the seam of the composition body.

When the Walton's say, "Good Night," their voices echoing warmly through the rooms, I remember how our family talked after we went to bed. We could hear through the small house as Mama and Daddy made up riddles for us to guess, much to our delight. Talk went on in the dark until it became mumbles that lulled us to sleep. If I awoke scared in the night, I listened for Daddy to cough or snore, then I felt safe again.

In my own family, I was Olivia and Howard was John. Our oldest, Mark, was our John-boy, responsible and a model for the others. Trevor was red-haired Ben, Greg musically gifted Jason, Julie was impulsive Mary-Ellen, Amy pretty Erin, and Jamie might be innovative Jim-Bob.

We were (and are) a church-attending family as the Walton's were portrayed, and I can't help identifying with anyone with a large family, even on television!