I have a journal from 1958 that belonged to my Great-Grandma Clark. As I've read her words they have allowed me to know her more than just her name and the dates when she was born, married, and died. Her journal has also let me know her character and the kind of person she was.
During that trip in 1958 she:
I am very much like Grandma Clark. We're both alike in these ways:
I wouldn't have known so much about her if she hadn't kept a journal. She recorded many of the things said at the LDS Temple dedication; I know now that people say many of the same things today. I admire her tenacity because when she kept a journal she wrote every day. Sometimes she wrote just one sentence, nevertheless even that tells me something about her. She's been dead for more than 30 years, and I'm grateful to get to know her in the next best way (through her words) because she died when I was too young to appreciate her life. The things I have of hers mean more to me now because I know her better. Journaling helps me and it also helps my posterity to know me. I'll live on because of my words and truly become more than just a name on a page. UPDATE: If you want to read Grandma Clark's words see April 30th.
During that trip in 1958 she:
- Sailed from America to England on the Queen Mary
- Met some of her relatives in England
- Attended the London, England LDS Temple dedication
- Did much genealogy in England before going to the European continent
- Went to the Worlds Fair in Brussels, Belgium
- Toured the European continent (Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, and France)
- Did much genealogy in England after going to the European continent
- Sailed from England back to America on the Queen Elizabeth
- Visited her brother in Cleveland, OH, USA
-Religious
-Tall
-Left-handed
-The oldest child
-Creative
-Love facts
-Love people
-Want to know about ancestors
-Independent
-Do what we want
I wouldn't have known so much about her if she hadn't kept a journal. She recorded many of the things said at the LDS Temple dedication; I know now that people say many of the same things today. I admire her tenacity because when she kept a journal she wrote every day. Sometimes she wrote just one sentence, nevertheless even that tells me something about her. She's been dead for more than 30 years, and I'm grateful to get to know her in the next best way (through her words) because she died when I was too young to appreciate her life. The things I have of hers mean more to me now because I know her better. Journaling helps me and it also helps my posterity to know me. I'll live on because of my words and truly become more than just a name on a page. UPDATE: If you want to read Grandma Clark's words see April 30th.
2 comments:
You're so lucky to have so much information on your grandmother, Jade. So many of us tend to rely on family stories passed down mouth to mouth, so there's no telling how much they were distorted. I'm working on Ancestors.com and have been thrilled at letters and documents I've come across on family I knew nothing about before. I feel like I need to go back to journaling in hopes in some distant decade, some family member might per chance be interested in me.
Kay, I'm sure someone *would* be interested in you. And just as thrilled as you are.
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