Did you think ever,what can be an human being without memories?
I tried this strange feeling.Our memories can have a nice content or an hunting bad experience .These are two components of our life.The people who pretend that they don't have memories,has to have a very peculiar life.Their inner emptiness can affect the quality of their relationships with other.They exhibit a calculated behavior,cold relationship,lack of the enthusiasm for every day activity and an isolated life,without connections around.

Why I told this?. Now at my age of senior retired,I remember a lot of the episodes of my life as a child and teenager.They were in the past and now , a very good nurture source for my emotional stability.These are the nice,good memories.Regarding the bad memories,they have also a reinforcement effect for me.The experience with bad result,prepared me to avoid this kind of feelings prior to let me to step again in the trouble situations.

We lived in a small town.My father was the smallest boy in the family.From her 6 kids,when she passed away,she had 37 grandkids from 5-30 years old.I remember very vivid my grandmother.All her children lived on the same street at 3 minutes walking from her residence.The grandchildren enjoyed to stop by when we returned from school.Why? Because our grandma,prepared every day different cookies.Fresh,nice smelling.We used to detect the type of the prepared cookies ,when we were close by her house after smelling spread outside the kitchen.We were so noisy in our behavior.Many times she couldn't satisfy our hungry feeling.
Sometimes,she asked one of us"What is your name? Who is your father or mother 's name?"

I remember that every Sunday,she used to check our attire,before going to church.She was so proud after church service to be around her.She every-time introduced us to the visitors or the people around as her grandchildren.Later some of us,left this small town to continue the high school and college in other places.In the weekends or vacations,from the bus station,our first stop was grandma's house.She wasn't educated.But I remember that her first question was " What grades did you receive in school?" Maybe she didn't know the value of the grades.But when my reply was " 4 ",her face exhibit proud and happiness.None of her children had high school diploma.The three boys had their own incorporated GENERAL STORE,in this small town.Later they open a shoemaker store.Before her capacity to know our names was gone,more than half were in high school.Two of her grandkids enrolled in the University.One in the Medical School and other in the Engineering School.Her dream was to have a better life than her.And she inspired us to have a good education,which open the door for prosperity.

When I worked at the FAMILY TREE,I was so proud for my grandma endeavor.From her offspring ramification,14 physicians,8 engineers,teachers,economists,managers,as a result of 80% of college graduates from her kids,grandchildren and great grandchildren.

These memories about my grandma,driven my entire life.I am so proud that we could honor her memories,reaching a dream,which she knew only partial , prior to her pass away.

Learn more about this author, Peter Akermann.
Click here to send author comments or questions.

---

Add your voice

Know something about Reflections: Memories of my grandmother?
We want to hear your view. Write now!