Your Grandma Jane, an introduction

I'm going to start posting some excerpts from a book your Grandma Jane put together a few years ago. As you'll see by her intro, she was inspired by some books she read. I think this was about the time she retired too and was having some adjustment 'issues' with the new found abundance of free time she had. I'm glad she did this. Now I can share it with you two! By the way I think EVERYONE has an autobiography in them. Life is a journey.


Carolyn and Jane, sisters
Now, from Grandma Jane:

AN INTRODUCTION

My daughter in-law Jennifer and daughter Mary have in the past each given me a fill-in-the-page book to record my memories. I am grateful to them for that impetus. Recently I started writing a journal recording memories of my childhood after reading two memoir books this summer. Both authors wrote humorously of childhood situations more bizarre than mine. They lovingly told stories of their youth. Both grew into persons with notable careers and some fame. One became a Pulitzer Prize winning writer, the other a television network journalist of note who married into the Kennedy family. We may have pasts that influence us but they do not determine our lives. We do.

I emailed the first chapter of my memoirs to my sister Carolyn for her impression and critique. She responded with encouragement and then began collaborating with me. We reconnected in a new way and laughed and cried recounting our shared history. One morning I found four notes from Carolyn on email. She was now engrossed in recording our story for posterity. The whole {Carolyn’s family} clan encouraged me to continue. My son Daniel responded that “learning about grandpa was like learning about himself. People are made of stories. I am interested in your parents, and especially in your childhood. It informs me of where ‘I’ have been, in the sense that I am a reproduction of all the people and their stories.”

We grew up without much money and until I was about fifty I hid that fact from people I knew. I was ashamed of being poor. I was ashamed my parents had been divorced. I was ashamed my mom was a waitress. I was ashamed my dad did not have a normal “9 to 5” job. Then God healed me. Psalm 25 says, “No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame.” Psalm 34 says “Those who look to Him are radiant, their faces are never covered with shame.” These verses may refer to our standing before God, but they also spoke into my life who I was and freed me. I was a “new creation” loved by God. So I begin to write my memories. I use humor to convey some stories and a little irreverence. Some memories were bittersweet and some were tender, but in the end I realized I grew up without much money but not impoverished. We grew up with some conflicts but always loved by our parents. Our parents had some shortcomings but throughout their lives they grew in character. Dad may have not had that regular job but he did everything he could to make a living for us. Mom and Dad must have been unique being divorced parents who spent holidays together with their children. It probably wasn’t easy. Overall people do the best they can.

I have written some of the chapters with additions from Carolyn. I used quotes for her additions. Carolyn has written other chapters of her special memories. So to those who follow us, the family of Jane and Carolyn D., we leave our memories