Too Late, They're Gone #MFRWauthor

Welcome to Week 7 of the MFRW 52-week challenge. The topic is "Who's memories in your family do you wish you could discuss."

I admit to being of an age where you wonder what heritage you are leaving behind. Old enough to want to ensure your own memories are passed on, but also aware that the time is sooner rather later to capture the life stories of the remaining elders of the clan. 

So how to answer this question of "who?"

Maybe the discussion would be with family members about their time in uniform. In a way, the first person on this list already did. His collection of letters written during the Civil War have been transcribed and distributed to the family. 

But that still leaves the veterans of WW I, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and Iraq. A picture from WWII has been unearthed, but it was only recently that I learned of a grandparent's service in WWI. But most of those on the list didn't talk about it in life, so I don't think they will in death.

When someone is the last member of their generation, their memories are extra special. But age and illness has stripped the ability to recall many of them. Maybe have them tell about the beehives at the edge of the woods and spinning honey. Or the youthful excursions into the farm fields for a bonfire and roasting ears of corn.

I'm off to jot down the tale of instead of doing the dishes slipping away after-dinner to visit to the outhouse. While the original excuse garnered a temporary delay, the story goes that more than once the person conveniently forgot to return to the kitchen to finish their chores and instead stayed outside to play.


~till next time, Helen





Sidenote: a collection of poems and short stories written in tribute to family members who served was published as Heart and Sand: Stories From The Front Lines and the Homefront.)