Who Knows only his own Generation remains always a child

No doubt you have heard the saying, ‘you can’t know where you are going unless you know where you have been’. I do believe that statement is true. I recently discovered the quote that is located in the Norlin Library at the University of Colorado, “Who Knows only his own Generation remains always a child.” This leads me to the topic of today’s post – My Grandmother.

No doubt there are others who could possibly tell the story better or more fully but this is my story and my perspective. My grandma was Emily McKenzie. She was a Wright before she married and she grew up on Wright Mountain in West Virginia. She was born to a farming family in December of 1906. I don’t know but I imagine it was cold the day she entered this world.

She married in 1927 at the age of 26 a man who was more than twice her age (he was 54). Although I questioned her so many times about her life and why, I never received an answer. She had three daughters, the youngest of which is my mother and four step sons (the oldest of which was four years older than she). I know there was always strife and hurt on both sides of the step-child relationship.

I don’t know much about my grandfather except that he was a man of his time. He forbade my grandmother to drive. However she was always very proud of the fact that she found a way to have a young man in the community allow her to drive the coal truck to retrieve the coal the family needed. Eventually my grandfather found out and gave in to her desire to drive.

In June of 1943 my grandfather died. My mom’s oldest sister was 14 and my mom was 11. My grandma was alone with three young children, a general store and a mortgage. In case you are not a student of history, in 1943 there was a war going on. The USA was in the middle of World War II. Grandma managed to raise her children, run the store AND pay off that mortgage. She never remarried.

I fall in the middle of the nine grandchildren. I believe I had a special relationship with her (I have no doubt they all feel the same). I spent my summers with her where she taught me how to build a fire in the cook stove, to put my laundry powder in the washer to dissolve BEFORE putting in the clothes, how to find four leaf clovers and the game of Chinese checkers.

One of the most important life lessons she taught me came over Chinese checkers. You see, grandma played to win! Sure she would help, she’d occasionally offer advice, but she NEVER lost just so I could win. I had to earn the win. The game was still fun. We played often. My skill level grew and eventually I could occasionally win a game. It was a great life lesson that I didn’t have to always win to have fun; that if I wanted to win I needed to develop my skills; and that just being cute and funny didn’t make me a winner.

My grandmother also taught me how to be a salesman. During my childhood my grandma sold AVON. I spent many days with her as she would call on her customers. We’d arrive in their home and she would talk with them about their lives (really listening). She explained her products, what was new or on special, then she would ask what they wished to order. It was a classic sales technique. Listen, explain and ask for the sale.

I learned from my grandma to be generous. My grandma lived on a very limited income. Many times on our sales visits, because it was summer, they would offer her vegetables from their garden. Grandma was always appreciative for the gifts but at the next stop she would share with those customers. I never once saw her keep all of whatever she was given for herself.

My grandma died March 8^th 1999 2000 at the age of 93. Although she was slower and not as able to do what she once could, she was still living alone and able to care for herself (with a little help from her family). Her mind was clear although maybe not as quick as it once was.

No doubt you know after reading this that I miss her…I have no doubt she is watching over me…I hope she’s proud.