This weekend I spent time in my old home-town. I visited some old friends, had an awesome steak dinner (gotta get that recipe!) with a new friend, did some house sitting and visited with family.
Most of the family visiting I did was with one of my aunts (youngest of 5) and my grandmother on my dad's side. Sadly, she is the only grandparent I have still living and is one of the people I respect most on this patch of grass and gravel we call Earth.
She just celebrated a birthday not long ago and last time I checked.... is still the classiest woman in any room. She was married to my papa for 59 years before he passed away and they had a great life together. They raised 6 kids, 5 girls and a boy and like many across the world....did the best they knew how....
I've always thought a lot of my grandparents....on both sides of the family....as they were outstanding individuals by any standard. Both of my grandpa's were self-employed, lived and breathed for their children, worked the land and would rather take a beating than to lie, cheat or steal. My grandmothers, both raised kids and worked outside the home later in life.
The thing I remember most of my grandparents was going to their homes and learning how they lived when they were young. Either through examples or stories, I would be fascinated to hear of the struggles, pot-holes and other bumps in the road on their journey's through life.
Everyone has a story.....and most are fascinating if you only take the time to listen.... I'm afraid that we are becoming so involved in our own lives that we don't pay attention to the advice that the older generation can give us.
We're rapidly coming to an end of the generation that crossed the plains in a covered wagon as children....as well as the latest 2010 autos from your local dealer.
I remember my grandparents teaching me things like....how to plant a garden, build fences around the pasture, dry apples from the tree in the backyard, and cure pork in the smokehouse to name just a few.
The older generations have so much knowledge to give that I often wonder.....what will happen when they are gone??
Do people today know how to grow their own vegetables, hunt for food or find water and dig a well? What would they do if they couldn't run to the store for groceries or their favorite pair of shoes?
I admit....I'd be in trouble myself in the shoe department....maybe I should have more than 2 pairs....but I'm covered as far as the food and shelter is concerned. :-)
What stories do you remember from your grandparents? What did they teach you?? Tell us in the comments.....
1 comment:
Jay-man, so glad you got to hang out with your granny! I too loved to sit and listen to the stories of my grandparents. Never got to meet my dad's parents but my mum's lived with us for many years. My grandpa taught me how to lay a stone road out of large rocks and make to smooth like cobblestones and he also taught me how to plant a garden. My gran taught me to love vegetables, knit, crochet, sew. I pass on as best I can to my kids and they are lucky to have my folks around to pass on the teaching and stories as well. Since my dad lived all over the world, they are very interested! It is true, elders do have so much to teach. Happy new year my friend! Alex
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