The Importance of Testimony

Write it Down - the Importance of Testimony
A good couple of months ago, my eldest granddaughter, 12 year old Yuvali came to me and told me she had a school assignment she needed me to participate in. 
 Ok said I , jumping at the chance to contribute some of my primitive and outdated knowledge to this genius digital generation…although I wasn't sure of what use I could be! 
 So, the assignment was , she had to interview a senior citizen ( OMG - that's me!)! The interview was pretty much about my life as a child and a young adult. 
 You know, questions like “ Did you have running water or electricity?” or “How did you get to school - what! you had a CAR?” I guess she thought I had to flog my donkey and cart to get there!! Oh my! But, it got me thinking. How I would have loved to have known more about MY grandmother's life. The games SHE liked to play as a kid. What terrible world events happened in her lifetime? And I must be very honest - I don't have the answers to 90% of these questions.
 I am quite sure that many of us don't have the opportunity to share those intimate little , seemingly trivial details of our lives with our children or grandchildren, 
 To us, or at least to me where I grew up in South Africa, television only happened when I was in high school! Today, it's unthinkable!!!! Or, if you don't have top speed wifi all the time it's back to the middle ages with you! How DID we pass our free time as kids? What family gatherings do we remember with warm fuzzy feelings? What happened in the world? What was discovered? What changed? 

 And so, Once Upon a Grandma was born, and because we don't want to discriminate ( heaven forbid!), so was Once Upon a Grandpa. 

 A life story Journal where you can write it all down. There are prompts, and questions to help you remember and loads of space for all those memories. I personally am doing one for each of the grandchildren. 

 We have all lived and are living such rich and varied lives. Our roads have taken us to so many places, both physically and emotionally. We might not be able to contribute to our grandkids' lives with fancy digital screen knowhow, or know how the latest apps work, but we sure as hell have loads of inspiration to hand on to them. 
 We have all been through hardships and most of us came out the other end, stronger. We have emigrated, immigrated, been through wars, pandemics and heaven knows what else - we sure have what to tell and what to say. Just to complete the series, there is also Once Upon a Baby, a journal for the new baby, for parents or grandparents to fill in.
 Tell your own once upon a time. Happy writing!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

When Your Child Turns 40: Reflecting on the Journey of Raising an Extraordinary Individual

Image
  Time really does fly, doesn't it?  It feels like just yesterday when I held that precious bundle of joy in my arms, the one that turned me into a mom;  and now here he is - turning 40 for heaven's sake!.    As parents, we embark on a rollercoaster journey when we bring a child into the world.   Through the ups and downs, the trials and triumphs, the tears, the joys - we witness their growth, face the hurdles that life throws at us, and marvel at the incredible person they become.  The process of raising a child begins even before they arrive in this world.  Through their infancy, where they rely on us for every need, we then try to muddle through, guiding them through their first steps, their first words, and the marvels of using a spoon.  We join them on the wonders of exploring the world around them. We witness their personalities develop, trying to help them shape their character as they grow. We try as best we can with what we have...
Read more

Pack them bags - it's travel time!

Image
Ah, the joys of travelling!  The excitement of planning, exploring new places, immersing oneself in different cultures, and creating lifelong memories.  Nothing quite like it.  In truth, I think life is always better when you know there is a travel plan in the drawer.   But let's face it, planning a trip abroad in our 60s is a whole different ball game compared to our carefree and spontaneous adventures in our younger days.  I remember quite clearly the days of carefree tossing of two pairs of shorts and three tank tops ,two pairs of underwear and flip flops and away we go!   Now, with a newfound appreciation for comfortable shoes and elasticized waistbands, this blog post is here to guide you through the hilarious and oh-so-relatable differences of planning a trip abroad as a mature woman.  Our bodies may have acquired a few creaky bones, an achy joint here or there, and a reliance on panty liners and extra panties for when a laugh or a sn...
Read more

The Older Woman's Guide to Gymming with Teenagers

Image
  Hey there, fellow gym-goers! Today, I went to the gym. I have a reputation to uphold you know - according to my 13 year old granddaughter, I am the coolest gramma out there because none of her friends' grandmothers go to the gym!   So there I am - the coolest, most fabulous 65-year-old lady in the gym -  filled with self-obsessed teenagers, in clothes, (well no, that would be the wrong term, they are not clothes by any stretch of the imagination - stretch being the operative word here!) that I am quite sure were painted on, in my very stylish leggings and sloppy dry fit vest - trying to stay out of the way of the selfie spots and testosterone puddles. First things first, let's address the major difference between THEM and US : the never-ending selfie sessions. It seems like these young whippersnappers have made the gym their personal photoshoot location. Seriously, there is way more time spent on the poses than on the equipment.  I get it that there are magi...
Read more