ELDERS
by bartermn
The road our ancestors traveled was rutted, dusty, and mostly
uphill. Somehow they made it to the end without any of the modern
conveniences we take for granted. They survived world wars, a
Great Depression, and personal tragedies that dwarf our own
perceptions of pain. Many of their stories will never be told,
some tales of courage and faith could have become best sellers
if only someone had taken the time to visit and listen.
How many times did you hear someone say "Oh, he's telling
those old war stories again"? Did you ever listen, really listen
to Uncle Bill when he sat there staring into his past, talking about
that great little restaurant in France; his recollections of how
he and his best buddy escaped a prison camp and then walked
a hundred miles through enemy territory to get there?
Or, how about Grandpa George telling about the time he rode
west with a wagon train to see real Indians? He found more than
he bargained for and took an arrow in the hip. That's why he
limps to this day.
There must be a lesson in those stories. Our elders may not
recollect exactly how far they walked through hip-deep snow to
get to school, but you can be sure they did indeed walk. If you
pay attention, you just might learn something that relates to
todays world.
Our elders were champions at saving money. There wasn't much
money to spend and they found creative ways to stretch it. Instead
of running to the grocery store twice a week they stocked up from
gardens orchards and fields, using wild plants sometimes to add to
dried beans or salted meat from the root cellar. Many springtime
greens came from what we call weeds, dandilions, mustard, or
stinging nettles. Wild game was a staple and with ammunition
scarce they didn't waste it, slingshots, snares, and even
thrown rocks were used by proud children wanting to help feed the family.
Money was also saved by sewing the familys clothes. Patches on
knees of pants and handmade dresses were a common sight. Will
todays kids wear patched hand-me-downs? Most kids recieved
one pair of shoes a year, sometimes passed down from an older child.
They were expected to make them last and took good care of them.
Cleaning and waterproofing boots was considered entertainment
at Grandpa's farm.
Before television and computer games our ancestors enjoyed
themselves with barn-dances, ice-skating, sledding, and picnics.
I remember my family get-togethers often involved touch football,
volleyball, horseshoes, and even wrestling matches on the front
lawn, and not just by us kids! All night card games were common.
Music played a large part in my families life, Aunts and
Uncles would visit and after dinner would bring in their guitars
and fiddles for a jam.
In these modern times an elder is put in a nursing home when
he or she can no longer work. I remember an uncle who was wheelchair
bound, but taken care of by his sister in her home. I was only four
or five years old and he might have been seventy. This uncle
was treated with great respect by everyone,but especially by us
kids. True or not, he told the best stories!
