What a blessing, being loved as you were, are. Myself born into a sea of extended family and with my siblings, heard story upon story of the grandfathers who died too young, my grandmothers lives, and unexpectedly, got to live lives filled with each of our own long-lived parents. I tell my grandchildren stories I heard. Bright faced young ones, hearing about a great-great grandmother sent ‘into service’
at age 7, to a household on the outskirts of Istanbul….
But yes, how many times do we sit and ask each other ‘did dad ever tell you about…? Or how did mom get from point a to point b back then? Who did she stay with? Wow look at that photo - where were they?…”. Unanswered, all of them, now..
You were given to parents who loved you. Immeasurable gift I believe. Though I came to know her better my mother could only be described as having gifted us with benign neglect..
Greg. I really admire your writing about your Dad and then your Mom. I understand what you you are saying when you say learn about those you love otherwise it.l be too late. I am writing a book about my life because even though I have 8 living sibllings yet-one died in 2004, they have yet to get to know me. I will share what it is abut later.
So very True. I have kept journals through the years-chicken scratches. Sometimes I surprise myself with what I’ve written. Lately pondering my piles of writings, notes, photos, memorabilia. Trying to assemble them into notebooks someone might value, even a stranger. I mostly imagine my step daughter throwing it all in a dumpster and I will be fine with that. I’ll be dead. I decided to get a scanner and a fast computer and start a shareable file or more likely a blog. I’m planning on making posts as I go, labeling with names like Grandpa Lindbeck. He died when My Mom was 5. One photo. Handsome guy.
I want family to add their own comments. I don’t know when I realized 7 kids all had a different childhoods. I’m reading early history and wonder why Our family history only goes back a generation or 2. I am finding more inspiration reading this. My Husband’s cousin did years of research on their family history-went back to the 1600’s. Now Bill has left the material plane. Leaving all that history in a booklet We have. I want our offspring and curious to see Bill’s Work. As I reread his genealogy chart My Husband’s German half and My German half were from Westfalia, Prussia (no Germany then-we were Prussian)
Start now. The one photo of my Grandfather leads to stories I can imagine. Tidbits by siblings. History of his birthdate, death date, impact on the family.
What a blessing, being loved as you were, are. Myself born into a sea of extended family and with my siblings, heard story upon story of the grandfathers who died too young, my grandmothers lives, and unexpectedly, got to live lives filled with each of our own long-lived parents. I tell my grandchildren stories I heard. Bright faced young ones, hearing about a great-great grandmother sent ‘into service’
at age 7, to a household on the outskirts of Istanbul….
But yes, how many times do we sit and ask each other ‘did dad ever tell you about…? Or how did mom get from point a to point b back then? Who did she stay with? Wow look at that photo - where were they?…”. Unanswered, all of them, now..
I was very fortunate in who adopted me, to be sure
You were given to parents who loved you. Immeasurable gift I believe. Though I came to know her better my mother could only be described as having gifted us with benign neglect..
What a beautiful tribute you wrote.
Thanks for re-sharing this, Greg. I will be including this in the February Bazaar at Stranger Worlds.
With unlimited love,
Chris.
Thanks, Chris!
Greg. I really admire your writing about your Dad and then your Mom. I understand what you you are saying when you say learn about those you love otherwise it.l be too late. I am writing a book about my life because even though I have 8 living sibllings yet-one died in 2004, they have yet to get to know me. I will share what it is abut later.
So very True. I have kept journals through the years-chicken scratches. Sometimes I surprise myself with what I’ve written. Lately pondering my piles of writings, notes, photos, memorabilia. Trying to assemble them into notebooks someone might value, even a stranger. I mostly imagine my step daughter throwing it all in a dumpster and I will be fine with that. I’ll be dead. I decided to get a scanner and a fast computer and start a shareable file or more likely a blog. I’m planning on making posts as I go, labeling with names like Grandpa Lindbeck. He died when My Mom was 5. One photo. Handsome guy.
I want family to add their own comments. I don’t know when I realized 7 kids all had a different childhoods. I’m reading early history and wonder why Our family history only goes back a generation or 2. I am finding more inspiration reading this. My Husband’s cousin did years of research on their family history-went back to the 1600’s. Now Bill has left the material plane. Leaving all that history in a booklet We have. I want our offspring and curious to see Bill’s Work. As I reread his genealogy chart My Husband’s German half and My German half were from Westfalia, Prussia (no Germany then-we were Prussian)
Start now. The one photo of my Grandfather leads to stories I can imagine. Tidbits by siblings. History of his birthdate, death date, impact on the family.
Thank you for this.
That's quite an archive you've created. I wish I had kept more than a handful of the many photographs my grandfather and my mom had.