Family history is so fascinating, because it almost seems more real. More sad and more happy.
I loved to hear my grandparents tell the story of their wedding - my grandma was 18 and her parents disapproved, so my grandpa's brothers stood watch by the church to make sure no one came to try and stop the wedding. Its a sad story because her family didn't come, but I always thought it showed how plucky they were when so young.
That's a great story. I love the image of a bunch of brothers as guards. So adorable. I love this: "... it almost seems more real. More sad and more happy."
I think there's designated people in each family who seem to get the essence of a story--or the theme of the family dynamic somehow--these stories last because they point to some essential truth.
I think I'm that person for my family (in this generation) but I often get accused of exaggerating or even lying about events. It's not the case. I'm either delusional or getting at something deeper but I never lie or exaggerate. That's how real my version of the story is to me. :)
This was so intriguing, Adrienne! Especially that you turned your family story into a novel.
Family secrets are so fascinating…I understand that when my grandmother, whom I adored, was in her late teens or early 20s, her father, a well-known newspaperman, left the family. He went to live on the other side of town with his mistress. Apparently my grandma was quite heartbroken, because she had been his special pet. According to family lore, her hair turned gray overnight.
It wouldn’t make a novel, but very interesting to me! Thank you for sharing your story!
It could make a novel ;). I love how you only had to move to the other side of town to get away from our past back then. lol. Those tiny glimpses into our ancestors’ lives are such gifts. My best friend was telling me recently how frustrated she was with her parents because they refuse to share family stories. Those stories will die with them. I guess maybe the pain is too much. But they also can’t understand why my friend is so interested in their “boring” lives.
The “tiny glimpses” you mentioned are priceless. Unfortunately, my dad never talked about himself or his family. Truly modest to a fault. How I wish I would have found some way to interview him before he passed.
My father was the same way. Luckily my mother lived in his childhood home while he was in the army, so she picked up a lot of the family lore on that side of the family. Strangely enough, her older siblings refused to give her details about her own father who had abandoned them.
Family history is so fascinating, because it almost seems more real. More sad and more happy.
I loved to hear my grandparents tell the story of their wedding - my grandma was 18 and her parents disapproved, so my grandpa's brothers stood watch by the church to make sure no one came to try and stop the wedding. Its a sad story because her family didn't come, but I always thought it showed how plucky they were when so young.
That's a great story. I love the image of a bunch of brothers as guards. So adorable. I love this: "... it almost seems more real. More sad and more happy."
I think there's designated people in each family who seem to get the essence of a story--or the theme of the family dynamic somehow--these stories last because they point to some essential truth.
I think I'm that person for my family (in this generation) but I often get accused of exaggerating or even lying about events. It's not the case. I'm either delusional or getting at something deeper but I never lie or exaggerate. That's how real my version of the story is to me. :)
This was so intriguing, Adrienne! Especially that you turned your family story into a novel.
Family secrets are so fascinating…I understand that when my grandmother, whom I adored, was in her late teens or early 20s, her father, a well-known newspaperman, left the family. He went to live on the other side of town with his mistress. Apparently my grandma was quite heartbroken, because she had been his special pet. According to family lore, her hair turned gray overnight.
It wouldn’t make a novel, but very interesting to me! Thank you for sharing your story!
It could make a novel ;). I love how you only had to move to the other side of town to get away from our past back then. lol. Those tiny glimpses into our ancestors’ lives are such gifts. My best friend was telling me recently how frustrated she was with her parents because they refuse to share family stories. Those stories will die with them. I guess maybe the pain is too much. But they also can’t understand why my friend is so interested in their “boring” lives.
The “tiny glimpses” you mentioned are priceless. Unfortunately, my dad never talked about himself or his family. Truly modest to a fault. How I wish I would have found some way to interview him before he passed.
My father was the same way. Luckily my mother lived in his childhood home while he was in the army, so she picked up a lot of the family lore on that side of the family. Strangely enough, her older siblings refused to give her details about her own father who had abandoned them.
That’s fascinating, isn’t it, how families will often close ranks to keep the skeletons in the closet.