She fell in love with Charles Yohn just as he was getting ready to move from Oklahoma to Wyoming to find work. They married, and she followed him. When they decided to have a family, the moved back to their Oklahoma roots.
Her smile was contagious as her round cheeks protruded as if they might explode with happiness. Her light eyes glistened. Combined with her pale skin, she seemed to glow against the backdrop of my dark-complected Grandpa.
I love that my Grandma had the gift of gab, a true gift that helps put people at ease and draw them together around a story. She passed that gift on to my dad, Brett, who can engage listeners for hours as he shares one story after the next. His embellishments birth tall tales from everyday events, which have captivated me for as long as I can remember. Though he couldn't stray too far from the original story as my mom was there to remind him of how the event really happened.
I believe the art of storytelling is even more important today as we find new ways to share information with one another and new ways to digest that information more quickly. Though, it stills rings true that people are most drawn to stories, because they move them on an emotional level.
So, with that, I close this week of stories about women who have inspired me in celebration of International Women's Day. You can find out more about this day that celebrates the social, economic and political contributions of women by clicking on Google's logo today.