There was one subject in elementary school that seemed to bring all the kids together and that was Show-n-Tell. Yes, in my mind that was a subject just like lunch and recess when I was eight years old. I would go through the house whirlwind style rummaging through kitchen drawers or dresser drawers of every single family member in our household to find that one thing. Of course, I got in trouble for trying to open certain drawers that were deemed private or for even walking into my older brother’s room.
I always seemed to end up in the closet where there was a grayish old wooden chest. I would lift the heavy lid with my toothpick arms and the smell of history would slowly swirl out, teasing me with its wonders. There it was on top of a stack of old photo albums in a small brown bag, a pin that belonged to my grandpa. The pin was a little old fashioned silver gun inside a little silver holster with a chain connecting them, so you could pull the gun out without losing it.
I did what every kid my age would do, I screamed with excitement because I found my Show-n-Tell! I eventually realized that at a very earlier age our elementary teachers had started to prep us to become master storytellers with attentive listeners. I am sure that was not the intent when having this, but how delightful to think this is still going on in elementary schools and even preschools. I love the fact that oral traditional storytelling can start from a tiny single mustard seed – or tiny silver gun and holster – and blossom into the pure beauty of sharing stories to the whole community.
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