I sit here wondering what your life must have been like?
As I try to piece it together with fragments that I have found.
Did you find life hard, did you find life a pleasure?
Were your children a blessing or curse?
Ah the questions I should have asked.
Did your father speak with a brogue?
Did your mother fix wonderful food?
Did your uncles toss you on their knees?
Did your aunts have tea with you?
Did you travel or did you stay?
Ah the question I should have asked.
What was your childhood like?
Did you learn to read? Did you learn to write?
Did you go to Church?
Did you learn to cook?
Did you learn to fish?
Did you ride in a wagon to a new found home?
Or was it a ship that brought you here?
Ah the questions I should have asked.
What were my parents like as children?
Were they serious? Were they clowns?
Were they your pride and joy?
Ah the questions I should have asked.
As I sit here and fill in the past,
My life I must try to encompass,
But there will be things I leave out
There will be things that slip my mind.
So Ask the questions now while my
Memories are fresh and my life is moving along.
Don’t wait for another day.
Do not delay or you’ll look for answers,
That will be shadows of the past
Ah the questions I should have asked.
Julia K. Hogston
July 24, 2003
Nice article.When I was about 11, I had a flmaiy tree school assignment which was soon followed by interviewing my three living grandparents. I gathered names, dates, and places. They volunteered a bit more, but I didn’t write down everything and I didn’t think to record them. When I got back to genealogy as an adult, I still had the data that I had written down from that time.So even though I did get an early start with three grandparents, I didn’t know the rules. I didn’t record them, didn’t ask the right questions, and didn’t write down every word they spoke. (I know my grandmother told me an uncle changed the name. She didn’t know which person that uncle was, but I’m certain she told me the name. Frustrating not to remember or have written it down!)Still, it was a good start and a lot more information than my parents could have ever provided. It’s a good thing some of my grandparents’ siblings were still around and I got to talk to them. Have you looked up your great-uncles and great-aunts?
Hi Ashlee,
To answer your question about great Aunts and Uncles yes, but not many of them. I have connected more with their children as an Adult then I did with their parents. We lived a good distance most of my life from them. I did how ever write pretty consistantly to on Great Aunt who is now deceased and she provided me information that I hadn’t known about my Grandparents.
Thank you for stopping bye!
Julie