My Dad came to visit 2 weekends ago & brought along the family history book for my DAR application... along with a family history photo album which I didn't even know existed! It starts with photos of Wolcotts from just after the Civil War & goes right up to my baby photos & is more magical than I can put into words. My Grandpa included a written history starting where the family book leaves off & recounting what he remembers of his great-grandparent, lessons learned from his grandfather, letters written back & forth between them, & what it was like to grow up on the depression and war years.
It made me feel for a moment like a heroin in some novel where I'll discover a parallel of life's events and learn the secrets of a happy life from the lessons of my ancestors.
Letters from the 40's between my
Grandpa & his Grandpa
My Great-Grandpa's dance card from
his senior prom... filled with Great-Grandma's name.
My Great-Grandparent's wedding in 1924
Grandpa pushing Grandma in a
wheelbarrow on their wedding day
After telling a friend about all these discoveries she said something that really shook me awake... how her Grandfather said his biggest regret was not asking more questions. OF COURSE! I should be asking questions! Why haven't I been asking for stories every time I've seen my grandparents the past 27 years? Why have I not been trying to learn what life was like in a different time or what they've learned after seeing the progress of decade after decade? I've been missing out on all this without even knowing it.
So get ready, Grandparents, I want to hear it ALL.
That's awesome! I love the dance card and the wheelbarrow picture. I have been trying to take advantage of my grandparents too. It's better now than wishing you had done it earlier. That's cool stuff you have!
ReplyDeleteVery cool. I love family histories, especially when told by grandparents. Growing up with my grandma in the house made me realize never to forget to ask her to tell, retell, and tell me again her favorite stories. My favorite is how she met and fell in love with my grandfather. This was all during WWII so it's a Hollywood movie like tale to me. Recently I asked her to write the story down, and what I got back from her was this amazing letter I hope to share someday with my own grandkids.
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