When I grow up...

I was fortunate to grow up knowing my great grandparents on both sides of my family. They lived into their 90’s, generally healthy & full of spunk.

This is a picture of my great grandmother. It was from about 10 years ago when she was about 90. I told her that when I got to be her age, I wanted to be like her. Basically running around and causing trouble. But in a good way.

I learned a number of things from them. One is to remain active in some way, visiting with family & friends. Plus have a hobby or two. Grandma’s was reading everything she could get her hands on and drinking coffee. When she would visit us, she would read the Mercury News from page 1A all the way through to where the classifieds started. Then she would want to discuss what she read with you.

I remember sending her a couple magazines that were about the history of the Old West. She grew up in the mid-west in the early 1900’s & was married just before the Great Depression. Her comment about the stories of people in those articles? Yes, it was accurate, for that is what -her- parents & grandparents had told her. Very neat to speak with her about a time that was not that far removed from her living memory. Kinda like what the 1940’s are for me, the late 1880’s were for her.

I think I got my bug for history from her and my grandfather. Such stories, such lives.

All of my great grandparents have passed away. I still have a great great aunt that is her younger sister. Every couple of months I take half an hour to write her a letter to let her know what my wife and I are up to. She writes back too. Email doesn’t exist for her. Paper does. So take a few minutes and write a short note to an older relative. It’ll make their day.

-Mike M.