Grandparents' Influence

Just a thread for us to remember some insights that our grandparents gave to us that helped shape us, that we associate with how it shaped us, and provided us with certain wisdom and knowledge that we take with us.

I often think back about the things that my two grandparents shared with me, their attitudes, sense of humour, ideals and values. My grandfather always told me to pursue my education to the highest level I could, I only remembered it a little while ago and it looks like that constant repetition by him deeply embedded itself into my subconscious, as I did progress it as far as I could.

He also showed me the art of doing things yourself, of being a proud and direct person. Never bet around the bush, said exactly what he felt but people loved him for it. My grandmother was quite different, being very reserved and quiet, but also really intelligent and sharp-witted. She gave me many life-skills and values that I take with me to this day.

 

Wow, yes they sound very similar to my grandparents too!

I considered my two grandparents to have been the biggest influence on me next to my actual parents. I really understood and got a passion for nature and country life from my granddad. I also got a great sense of only talking when you have something interesting, intelligent or funny to say from my granny. People talk too much nowadays, especially people with little interesting to say. I learnt that it was okay to be silent and comfortable in your surroundings rather than be uncomfortable and constantly yapping. My granddad also taught me more manly things than I learnt at school or from my pops. Stuff like hacking wood with axes or chainsaws, hunting, making things out of wood, racing greyhounds and growing/maintaining vegetables etc. Was pretty cool.

 

I can remember, somewhere back in the mists of time, a certain young man with a pile of torn greeting cards on his desk. He was tearing the cards and using them for roach paper. I looked at a few of the cards, and I remember reading: Dear Grandson, etc. etc, lots of love Granny/Grandad. And I was blown away by this. I asked him: "How can you use greeting cards from your grandparents for roach paper?!" And he said something like: "They sent me the cards wishing me well, and now I am enjoying them. I am using them for something that brings me enjoyment". I fell about the place.

My Grandad, whom I'm meant to be exactly like in character and temperament, died 5 years before I was born. My other one died when I was two. But I remember him. He used to drink a lot and my Granny gave him hell over it. She wouldn't speak to him. Other people who came to the house wouldn't speak to him, just because he was an alcoholic. I remember being there one time and someone came in and he greeted them and they just ignored him and went on through to the kitchen. I looked at him and he just just laughed and winked at me. He used to give me the end of his packet of mints, or a pound coin when I was going home. He'd stand out on the road and wave until the car was out of sight, and I'd wave out the back window at him. So, if there's anything I could take from him, it would be, don't lose your sense of humour and don't give people who act the cunt too much credence. Still working on the second one.

My other Grandmother used to buy me a book every week. She really fed my reading habit, and helped build my vocabulary that way from a young age. She worked hard, had 14 kids in total and took in 2 more. Her attitude was to drink whiskey, get pissed and have a laugh. Don't take anyone with airs too seriously, try to have fun and be kind in that hard, true way that the old time people were. They depended on each other for survival, they helped each other and they had to have a sense of humour in the times they lived through. She hadn't a selfish bone in her body. She had great spirit, and I wish we had more women like that in this generation.

 

Aww great memories there Corvid

Haha that was a bold guy using roach paper with his grandparents' cards

 

Yeah, he was a bold fecker. Flipping hell, that was literally half my life ago now..