Sometimes the family history comes as a big surprise. It's not something I can be "proud" of or even ashamed of. It just is. It does help explain who I am, but that doesn't excuse any behavior I might attribute to my family. (other than what father Adam passed on) I found out within the last few weeks, quite by accident, that my uncle had won the bronze star during the second World War. He never talked about his military service. We only knew that he had been in the Phillipines. He died several years ago without ever telling anyone, even his wife, about what he'd seen or done in the military. She ran across the medal and the paperwork about it as well while cleaning. It seems he was on Guadalcanal in 1942 and at Luzon later on in the war. Both big battles. I have always wished I had been nosier with my grandparents, and now nosier with other relatives. Why didn't I ask more pressing questions? Why didn't I ever think beyond my own immediate life? I have dozens of unanswerable questions now. I squint down the years of the past guessing and surmising. And things probably won't change much for the future generations. i.e. those kids and grandkids of mine. I've written it all down. It's all in neat little rows or folded up carefully in the pages of books. Everything is there -they just have to open the books up and they'll see who they are. The question is...will they?
3 comments:
Answer for why you did not ask more questions....You did not grow up in Orange City where everyone knows everthing about you and your dog.
LOLOLOL I may say that because I've lived in Orange City all my life.
I hear you on the why don't we get nosier... I worked as an assistant administrator of an alzheimer nursing home for 3 years... it taught me to take any opportunity to ask the questions... but I am sad now that I am living close enough with my grandparents to ask those questions in person. Good for you!!!! generations after you will thank you for your work!
Sorry I didn't ask when I had the
chance all those years ago. Sorry
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