In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.
They were the Greatest Generation
searcher5
Member Posts: 13,511 ✭
They were the greatest generation.
One that was in on the tail of WW1, lived through the great depression and WW2, saw transportation go from horses to airplanes. They went from kerosene lamps for light, to electricity. They went from drawing water from a well, to running water. From outhouses to indoor plumbing.
When I was a kid, I took so many things for granted. That things would stay the same as they were. We had many family gatherings, then, and the old folks would sit around and talk about things past. I expect I was like any other kid, and the talk of things past was boring to me. Oh, if I could only do that over again.
My grandparents, on my fathers side, were pretty social people. Not so much that they went to a lot of social events, but in the respect that they always had somebody around the house. A distant cousin, someone who had fallen on hard times, traveling evangelists, or any one of a thousand other categories I could name. There was always a hot meal, and a bed if need be, at their house. You could count on two things, for sure. A pot of coffee, and a cookie jar full of grandma's sugar cookies. They never turned away a stray, be it human or animal.
Growing up, I was surrounded by such a strong family, with so much love and support. Not in a mollycoddling way, but more of a leading by example sort of way. My grandfather was a great mechanic, who could fix anything, and make almost anything. I remember him teaching me to change points out on an old truck that I had. Actually, he got busy after he had me tear it apart, and I had to figure it out by myself. But I did, and I'm not so sure that he didn't think that was the best way for me to learn. Unfortunately, knowing how to put points in an old truck is of little value, today! Grandpa's vehicles were always a challenge, especially his tractor. If you didn't know the magic combination, you weren't going to use it. Twist this wire, flip this switch, whack this piece with a hammer, and maybe it would start. Maybe not, either, but he could always make it run. I guess he was a fore-runner in anti-theft technology.
Grandma was a music teacher. She could pick up nearly any instrument, and play it with no instruction. This is a gift that I definitely did not inherit. She did give me my love of music, though. They had a stereo, one of those huge wooden cabinet type ones, with a turntable, 8-track, and radio. She had a lot of records, and I would listen to them for hours, often early pirating music with my tape recorder, pressed up against the speaker of that stereo. Johnny Cash, Tennessee Ernie Ford, George Beverly Shea, the Kingston Trio, and many, many more. Grandma played the organ in church, and boy, could she ever play it. Many a bride went to her groom, to the beautiful sound of Grandma playing "Here comes the Bride".
There were aunts and uncles, cousins, in-laws and outlaws. All under that roof, many times all at once. Cousins I had never met, brothers of in-laws, cousins of in-laws, casual acquaintances of in-laws! They all found a roof, a bed, and a hot meal at Grandpa and Grandma's house.
Holidays were something else. Packed house, top to bottom. Talk flying about like dry leaves in a Kansas tornado.
And I wish I could remember every word of it. Well, most every word!
That whole generation is gone, now. We laid the last of it to rest yesterday. My aunt Vanonda, 98 years old. The Wife of my Grandfather's brother.
She had a good life, and lived a long life, well respected and loved by her family. At 98, it was time for her to go, and I do feel a sadness that she is gone, but I feel more of a sadness that the greatest generation of my family, the end of it, was laid to rest yesterday, too.
One that was in on the tail of WW1, lived through the great depression and WW2, saw transportation go from horses to airplanes. They went from kerosene lamps for light, to electricity. They went from drawing water from a well, to running water. From outhouses to indoor plumbing.
When I was a kid, I took so many things for granted. That things would stay the same as they were. We had many family gatherings, then, and the old folks would sit around and talk about things past. I expect I was like any other kid, and the talk of things past was boring to me. Oh, if I could only do that over again.
My grandparents, on my fathers side, were pretty social people. Not so much that they went to a lot of social events, but in the respect that they always had somebody around the house. A distant cousin, someone who had fallen on hard times, traveling evangelists, or any one of a thousand other categories I could name. There was always a hot meal, and a bed if need be, at their house. You could count on two things, for sure. A pot of coffee, and a cookie jar full of grandma's sugar cookies. They never turned away a stray, be it human or animal.
Growing up, I was surrounded by such a strong family, with so much love and support. Not in a mollycoddling way, but more of a leading by example sort of way. My grandfather was a great mechanic, who could fix anything, and make almost anything. I remember him teaching me to change points out on an old truck that I had. Actually, he got busy after he had me tear it apart, and I had to figure it out by myself. But I did, and I'm not so sure that he didn't think that was the best way for me to learn. Unfortunately, knowing how to put points in an old truck is of little value, today! Grandpa's vehicles were always a challenge, especially his tractor. If you didn't know the magic combination, you weren't going to use it. Twist this wire, flip this switch, whack this piece with a hammer, and maybe it would start. Maybe not, either, but he could always make it run. I guess he was a fore-runner in anti-theft technology.
Grandma was a music teacher. She could pick up nearly any instrument, and play it with no instruction. This is a gift that I definitely did not inherit. She did give me my love of music, though. They had a stereo, one of those huge wooden cabinet type ones, with a turntable, 8-track, and radio. She had a lot of records, and I would listen to them for hours, often early pirating music with my tape recorder, pressed up against the speaker of that stereo. Johnny Cash, Tennessee Ernie Ford, George Beverly Shea, the Kingston Trio, and many, many more. Grandma played the organ in church, and boy, could she ever play it. Many a bride went to her groom, to the beautiful sound of Grandma playing "Here comes the Bride".
There were aunts and uncles, cousins, in-laws and outlaws. All under that roof, many times all at once. Cousins I had never met, brothers of in-laws, cousins of in-laws, casual acquaintances of in-laws! They all found a roof, a bed, and a hot meal at Grandpa and Grandma's house.
Holidays were something else. Packed house, top to bottom. Talk flying about like dry leaves in a Kansas tornado.
And I wish I could remember every word of it. Well, most every word!
That whole generation is gone, now. We laid the last of it to rest yesterday. My aunt Vanonda, 98 years old. The Wife of my Grandfather's brother.
She had a good life, and lived a long life, well respected and loved by her family. At 98, it was time for her to go, and I do feel a sadness that she is gone, but I feel more of a sadness that the greatest generation of my family, the end of it, was laid to rest yesterday, too.
Comments
My Auntie Nancy will be 90 on July 10th, she is the last of my grandfathers seven sisters. She has some wonderful stories. I can't wait to celebrate with her. I will one day have all of my great stories too, I hope I can live that long to share them!
It makes me wonder: Will our decedents ever look back at us like that? I certainly hope so. . .