In 1938 my grandmother was 17 years old, finishing up her last year of high school and preparing for college.
She was a fast typist, averaging more than 60 words per minute throughout her senior year and was also becoming skilled in shorthand.
Shorthand appears throughout her diaries, randomly it seems, but I am curious as to why she chose to use shorthand at the moments that she did. Was she just saving space or was she keeping private moments away from prying eyes?
She was a good student, a loyal church-goer and was very rarely ever alone.
My grandmother died the day after Christmas and I spent my holiday with family in mourning, battling tornadoes and airline difficulties. I passed over into the New Year in Illinois in the cold rather than in Phoenix in the less cold.
But I came away from the week with a bit more peace. I don't regret the time with my grandmother even though we grew apart as I got older and formed my own opinions and ideals about life.
I respect the life my grandmother lived. And I am about to embark on a journey back to 1938 and forward. You see, she left behind 70 years worth of diaries. She wrote in her diaries every day for nearly 70 years.
In order to truly understand and respect her life I want to take the trip back through time to see her life as she saw it. To put myself in her shoes and walk the roads she walked upon. I hope that I come away from this knowing something more about the human spirit, the notion of hope, the bond with a family, and the value she found in faith.
And, I want to give something back to the rest of the family, so they too can take this journey with me and Grandma Alleyne. It's for her I want her voice to be heard.
