Occasionally, I have such vivid memories of my childhood flooding back it takes my breath away. I can be doing something else, and here come those memories. They are so vivid that I can even feel soft summer breezes that would accompany those memories wafting around me.
I enjoy such times. I enjoy remembering my youth, my family and those places that were dear to me. I just wish I could save them for my children and grandchildren. I have this silly notion that those memories would be as pleasing and mean something to them as well.
Before I had to move Dad and Vivian here to live, I remember sitting at their kitchen table talking about Dad's memories. He had talked about them before, but dumb little twit I was, I didn't really pay attention. After all, he would be here forever, right. Even on this occasion, I didn't listen as closely as I now with I had, nor did I ask questions to delve further into family.
When I fully realized he was in the middle to latter stages of dememtia, I decided that if I were to know more about my family, I would have to be the one to research it. That launched me whole-heartedly into genealogy. I had already lost my mother in 1972, and as an only child, who is basically separated from the little extended family we had, I better get moving. It was way too late with my mother, and really too late with my dad.
After moving him here, when I would take him to various doctor's appointments, he would make statements that I thought were really off base. He would take about his sister, Florence. I thought he was really off somewhere because I knew of only one sister - Helen. As I did more work, I discovered he did have another sister. She died in 1935 of a respiratory disease.
I could go on and on about the strange and wonderful things I have discovered in my genealogical quest. In fact, I have discovered that George and I have common relatives about 8 times removed!
I know my children and grandchildren still don't share my quest for information about family. They are wrapped up in just trying to keep up with the present relationships. That is day to day living. I know at some point, they may want to look back and discover from where they came. The information will be there. I have done my family, and I have done George's family -at least that that no one else has done. Thank heavens for those on his side that already had that spark ignited. But the records are there and waiting.
Peace
1 comment:
I have done the genealogy thing too, but...what my children and grandchildren really like are the stories of my childhood and those of my mother and father.
You could write them down and put them into a binder for them to read or look at after you are gone.
I grew up on a farm so I wrote three stories for the grandchildren of life on the farm back in the 40-50's. Mostly because they will never know of shearing the sheep, cutting off the lambs tails, gathering eggs, feeding the calves, cutting hay, on and on. The younger ones love those stories.
You have such a good way with words you ought to write your memories. Just a suggestion.
Post a Comment