I am from Coleman lanterns, canvas tents that glow in the damp sun of Rhode Island mornings and summer camping trips on pine needle carpets.

I am from static-filled broadcasts on AM radios of baseball heroes—from Mays and Swoboda, from McGraw and Seaver. I am from late night car rides home from Shea Stadium, from sleeping on the backseat watching the tunnel lights slide by in yellow tubes, from the gentle “kathump kathump” of the highway, from “we’ll get ‘em next year” and “ya gotta believe!”

I am from Captain Kangaroo, The Electric Company, The Magic Garden with its chuckle patch, from Holly Hobbie and Easy Bake Ovens used to bake cat food pies. I am from harvest gold and avocado green, from turntables and cassettes, from Tupperware in cascading stacks in the pantry closet.

I am from warm, homemade Christmas cookies, from presents Christmas morning, from Santa, from magic.

I am from yarn bows in long pigtails, from Brownie Uniforms and hoagie sales. I am from 45s of Daddy’s Little Girl, from Dave Brubeck, from big bands, from stadiums that echo Sing Sing Sing…yeah, yeah.

I am from birthday parties at the roller rink and giggling pajama parties. I am from feathered hair and school dances.

I am from bands and auditions, from concerts and rehearsals. I am from trills and crescendos. I am from Sousa and Tchaikovsky. I am from Oklahoma! and Man of La Mancha, from West Side Story and Les Miserables and Wicked at times.

I am from Wonderful World of Disney on special Sunday nights eating in the living room with foil trays and Salisbury steaks, from Happy Days, from Little House on the Prairie, from the Waltons. I am from staying up late to watch the Grinch or the Great Pumpkin and from once a year showings of the Wizard of Oz at Grammie’s house in our PJs.

I am from books—from dusty pages and leather covers, from tearing bindings and watercolored pictures of silly ol’ bears and piglets. I am from classics and quirky novels. I am from Dr. Suess, The Fattest Cat, and The Monster at the End of This Book. I am from Irving, Tolkien, Kingsolver. I am from Dickens, Chaucer and Yeats.

I am from suspended disbelief, from ET, from StarWars, from all things possible.

I am from stubbornness, intelligence, creativity and pride. I am from tolerance and caring, from standing up for what’s right. I am from finding humor and adventure in the most unusual places. I am from dreamers and builders.

I am from finding spirituality in pine trees and campfires, in nature walks and quiet lakes, in silent stadiums and stages.

I am from family, from vacation adventures, from noisy, rambunctious boys, from laughing ‘til my sides hurt, from card games and board games, from singing in the car and from snuggling on the couch.

(ok, now go do yours and leave a link in the comments)