I'm Old...

[Snook]

I turned 65 this last November. I wrote a book as an experiment before I wrote one about my Dad and our life together. The test piece was a short book about my Labrador Bunkie and it went over well so at least I knew that folks could understand my writing. So I completed the memoir of my Dad.

My point is that, when we are gone, we are gone. If you have something you want to say, then say it with a book or other media - because when you are gone, it's gone forever unless you make some effort to preserve it and pass it on. Even if you think that no one will care, do it anyway because your essence will waft away never to be seen or heard from again.

My two cents.

Chuck (snook)

 

[3sloppydogs]

I tried to get my father to record his WW2 experiences before he passed. We wouldn't listen to them until after that happened. He wouldn't do that, I understand he didn't want to relive those memories. But it sure would have been interesting and brought insight to him.

 

[KingCordoba]

Great sentiment. Put it to paper. That's why we keep these cars.... It's who we were, but still are.

 

[1967coronet]

Good for you Chuck, I agree with your observation.
Something I think about is all the younger folks and their pictures.
There all on their phones or computers.
Nobody builds photo albums anymore to pass down the family line.
I think us boomers are most likely the last keepers of pictures in print.

 

[ruffcut]

No one listens to me now. I doubt they will give two shits when I take the one way journey into the great beyond! My2 cents ruffcut

 

[eldubb440]

well, that was uplifting

 

[super-bee_ski]

I turned 65 this last November. I wrote a book as an experiment before I wrote one about my Dad and our life together. The test piece was a short book about my Labrador Bunkie and it went over well so at least I knew that folks could understand my writing. So I completed the memoir of my Dad.

My point is that, when we are gone, we are gone. If you have something you want to say, then say it with a book or other media - because when you are gone, it's gone forever unless you make some effort to preserve it and pass it on. Even if you think that no one will care, do it anyway because your essence will waft away never to be seen or heard from again.

My two cents.

Chuck (snook)

Join the Club!

 

[73HEMI_RR_GTX]

Good for you Chuck, I agree with your observation.
Something I think about is all the younger folks and their pictures.
There all on their phones or computers.
Nobody builds photo albums anymore to pass down the family line.
I think us boomers are most likely the last keepers of pictures in print.

True,
but the kids today have the technology to photo/film/record anything they want to preserve on their cell phones forever.

 

[moparedtn]

I'm no author, but I do from time to time write little "journal" essays right here on FBBO.
I don't do so for anyone else, mind you - I don't expect anyone will seek them out in the
future, but when I'm moved to write one, a few folks here seem to enjoy "Ed Stories".
They're good exercise for this old mind in the wee hours, anyways...

 

[1967coronet]

True,
but the kids today have the technology to photo/film/record anything they want to preserve on their cell phones forever.

Yeh, your right about that, my grandkids have grown up with all the modern tech.
I guess the thing I will miss and I figure others our age will also is the passing down of the albums and that cardboard box of black and whites. Lol.
Just does not seem the same as ( here check out my phone. )

 

[GetX'd]

I turned 65 this last November. I wrote a book as an experiment before I wrote one about my Dad and our life together. The test piece was a short book about my Labrador Bunkie and it went over well so at least I knew that folks could understand my writing. So I completed the memoir of my Dad.

My point is that, when we are gone, we are gone. If you have something you want to say, then say it with a book or other media - because when you are gone, it's gone forever unless you make some effort to preserve it and pass it on. Even if you think that no one will care, do it anyway because your essence will waft away never to be seen or heard from again.

My two cents.

Chuck (snook)

Wow that is quite profound and very well said. It’s also quite true. I applaud you for writing such a memoir. Not often done but a great gift to those in the family and friend circle that will appreciate it and hopefully build on it in coming years. I wish we had such a family heirloom. But we had very stoic grand parents and parents. Little was ever said and even less documented. There’s little to build on. Congratulations and thanks for sharing.

 

[themechanic]

I'm relying on government servers to record everything about me. Hopefully, the data will be available upon request.

 

[Red63440]

I will be 72 in June, my father died at 53 and his father at 69….I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop.

 

[wahya]

About six months ago, I started writing a sort of autobiography, starting with things that I experienced around 4 or 5 years old. I have over 30 full pages written so far, but stopped about 3 months ago. I have stopped writing for now, ending my experiences about 25 years ago. I keep saying that I am going to start again, but other things keep getting in the way. Funny how some things that I remember so many years ago are vivid and things like; did I take my pills 20 minutes ago aré iffy.

 

[Roger63]

I also tried to get my father to discuss his time in Korea. All he would tell me is, I only learned 1 thing while I was in the army. I don't want to be in the F@#%$&! Army

 

[joe smith]

I picture of my friends dad in his P38 he flew in the Pacific against the japs..... He said the only time his dad talked about his experiences was at a P38 reunion that he did NOT want to attend but ended up enjoying it...

 

[Durandal25]

I tried to get my father to record his WW2 experiences before he passed. We wouldn't listen to them until after that happened. He wouldn't do that, I understand he didn't want to relive those memories. But it sure would have been interesting and brought insight to him.

.....my grandparents neighbor down the road, Mr Johnson, was a waist gunner on a B-17 1943 until the end of the war. He did all his missions and several more. I remember him so fondly because he was so kind and supportive. My grandfather, who also served, knew him before the conflict, and told me that he was used to be a really hard man who never really had time for family or friends. The war changed him completely. He suffered for years with PTSD and alcoholism.....but kicked the booze in the late 40's. He met his wife at a church social and she helped him through all his issues......he never one time discussed the war with me until his wife passed in 2004.....and then he got it all off his chest. The horror and the stress of it all was incredible. He carried all of that, and more for decades. His message to me was that the hammer falls hardest on the anvil....and the anvil must never break or give in. All his hardness and toughness meant nothing in the face of imminent death and dismemberment. Seeing his friends and fellow airmen die in gory horrific fashion obliterated his ego. He told me that so many men he knew were sure they were going to die.....and they did. He never understood why he knew he wasn't going to die, but he also knew that sharing all of that with his wife and kids was not an option. As a vet myself, I guess he thought that was the best.....and he unloaded it all to me to remember. I passed it on to friends and family over the years.....and I can assure you this....those men, in those planes......lived a hell that we will never understand.

 

[barbee6043]

I'm 74. Time flies.
I wish I had asked more of the famlies history when I had the chance.
Dad spent 20 or was it 25 years in the USMC Aviation. Two wars. He could not talk about it. Two years after retiring, he suffered what they called then, a nervous breakdown. I was about 8. Mom told him he had to pull himself together he had a son to raise. He did.

 

[cr8crshr]

65!!! You're just a youngster...cr8crshr/Bill

 

[Wojo68]

I tried to get my father to record his WW2 experiences before he passed. We wouldn't listen to them until after that happened. He wouldn't do that, I understand he didn't want to relive those memories. But it sure would have been interesting and brought insight to him.

We said the same thing about my Dad’s experiences on Omaha Beach. He didn’t want to talk about them. When he did, it wasn’t pretty.