Questions to Ponder
Meadowlark Songs: A Motherline Legacy
“Grandmothers are voices of the past and role models of the present. Grandmothers open the doors to the future.” – Helen Ketchum
- Carrie Landgraf’s delightful historical novel, The Stuart Spoon, is about an heirloom which set the author on a quest to unlock its mystery. It revealed a poignant chapter in her grandmother’s past, and a surprising connection with the present.
Do you have an heirloom that was once your grandmother’s? What stories do you know about it? Have you thought about who might be its next keeper?
- Did you know your mother’s mother? What was her first name? Her maiden name? What stories do you remember? Did you know your mother’s grandmother? What was her name? What stories do you know about her?
- Have you noticed patterns in the stories told about the women in your motherline? Are there similar traits you recognize in these women?
- “You have been born into circumstances beyond your control,” wrote Jerry Sittser in A Grace Revealed, “inherited opportunities and problems passed on through gene pool and family background and life experiences, and faced losses you did not choose.” Can you relate to his statement? In what way?
- Jerry Sittser also wrote that there is “beauty and dignity of routine tasks and ordinary life–if lived for God.” What do you think that might look like in real life?
- Hope Edelman, Mother of my Mother: The Intricate Bond Between Generations, writes that how you deal with loss is how you get defined in life. Do you agree?
- When you learn a little of the local and national history behind the scenes, it helps to orient each generation. Do you have a favorite generation from these motherline stories? Was one more significant to you?
- We are urged to not spend time looking back. But Deuteronomy 32: 7 says, “Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations. Which advice do you think is more wise? Which would you follow?
- “When you are gone, what is going to remain? What traditions and stories of love and hope will be your legacy?” asked Bob Goff in Catching Whimsey: 365 Days of Possibility. How would you answer?
Meadowlark Songs: A Motherline Legacy at Amazon.com. At Amazon.uk
I knew both my grandmothers, and their stories. My father’s mother’s story was far more interesting and inspiring to me. I like the quote about routine tasks. The work of motherhood has always been undervalued by society, even while greatly appreciated by individuals. I think we all reach a point where we claim responsibility for who we are and give less credit to those who got us here.
Thank you, Dan. I think we just take things for granted. I certainly did. I’d sure like to hear your father’s mother’s story! An immigrant story?
I have written about her several times. If you’re on my blog, the list of categories in the sidebar includes a list foe “Sita” Here’s a link to the story that tells a little about her life and her influence on me: https://nofacilities.com/2014/04/06/when-i-stopped-worrying/
Oh, my! I’m a fan of your dear grandmother, and a fan of your writing about her! Do you have a photo of her? What else have a missed on your website?
I’ve been out here almost 15 years, so there’s a lot out there. She was my favorite person.
This gets better and better. Oh, I hope a book about her is simmering in your musings. The backstory, immigrant story, Great Depression, losing family members, sending sons off to war, then your relationship with her. What better story for America 250! (What about sharing your story about her with Our American Stories?)
My brother and I have been talking about writing that story off and on for a long time. There’s a lot we don’t know. We researched some of the story about when our grandparents first arrived in Pittsburgh. We learned a lot, but there’s a lot more to learn.
Sounds like a terrific adventure!
I love these thoughtful questions, Joy! I got stuck on the very first one — about family heirlooms…thinking about a ring, an old dresser and dining chairs that were my grandma’s on my mom’s side. Precious memories tied to each and I ought to make sure daughter Delaney hears about the significance of each item. Thank you so much. ❤️😉❤️
Bless you, Vicki. Yes, tell their stories. Hey, we’d enjoy them as well!
Yes!!!You’re giving me writing ideas!!! Love you, Joy! ❤️😉❤️
Love and hugs, Vicki!
🥰🥰🥰
If I were to identify the greatest legacy passed down from my great-grandmother to my grandmother to my mother to me, it would have to be the importance of higher education to develop as a person and lead a fulfilling life.
Yes, what a legacy!
I’m very fortunate to have had it.
Those are such nice thoughts about heirlooms, Joy. It doesn’t make me sad that I have never had any.
Not even photos? That’s hard. Stories?
My grandparents passed everything down to my parents. They would show them to us but kept them. In their last days, my parents stayed with my sister, a nurse. She occasionally shares pictures of what was passed on to her when Mom and Dad died.
I’m the person who became the keeper in my family, but I enjoy sharing–much of it through cousin Facebook pages!
My grandmothers were not the warm fuzzy kind. I feel like I was robbed of that experience.
Dawn, I’m not a warm fuzzy grandmother either, but I did send granddaughter Kate a copy of your Pink Poodle book for her next weekend’s birthday!
These are tough questions to ponder. In my Italian motherline, food took priority over everything. If you visited my mother’s home, or any of my aunts’ homes, you were expected to eat-and a lot! Of course, Grandma did the same. It was more of a cultural thing, 🙂
Oh, but the stories you could write! I have a couple of food stories, but they’re from Dad’s side with German ancestry. Thank you, Nancy.
Hopefully, we’ll be able to read your German food stories in future posts! 😁
Here’s one! https://joynealkidney.com/2018/12/01/grandma-ruby-blohm-neals-suet-pudding/
Putting the treasured suet pudding recipe on a chopping board was a neat idea. I don’t think I’ll be making it though! 🙂
I tried once, but once was enough!
That was likely depression era pudding when they used every part of the animal that was edible. Suet pudding was probably a real treat. It’s may be very tasty if you don’t know what it is! 🤣
You’re probably right, Nancy. Suet makes better food for the birds in winter!
I remember my mother’s mother, but no farther back. On my dad’s side, however, I remember not only his parents but also both of his mother’s parents. Sadly, I have hardly any objects of theirs. I do, however, have memories!
Memories with stories! And photos, I hope.