Thursday, January 5, 2006

A reminder of how quickly a person is forgotten

Because it's the area where my mother was born, and some of my uncles and aunts lived out all, or parts, of their lives, I sometimes go to the website of a small Missouri town:  Eagleville.com.  I attended school there for around three years, and sometimes I'll see a familiar name mentioned.

The lady who maintains the website asks for old pictures from her readers, which she posts on the website and challenges folks to figure out who the picture is.  I enjoy seeing the photos, and once in awhile I'll see someone I used to know as a child.  For instance, Eagleville had two grocery and dry-goods stores, and I saw a picture of the two proprietors of both, together, in their younger days.

I recently submitted a school picture of second-and-third grade kids that included me; someone my age quickly answered that quiz and named every single kid in the picture!  I only knew first names of three or four of them.

Then I decided to send a picture of my grandma, taken before 1960.

Grandma was well-known by everyone, back then.  She quilted constantly, and charged a ridiculously small sum for the quilts she sold... so of course she sold many.  I remember how many people greeted her, and stopped to chat, on the sidewalks and in the stores of Eagleville. 

When she died, the attendence at her funeral was huge!

But now, some forty years after her death, nobody remembers her.  Some people even printed off the picture and took it to meetings with them, trying to figure it out.

Finally, after a hint that included her Church affiliation and her youngest son's first name, someone guessed her last name.

How quickly we are forgotten.  It reminds me of a Bible verse I recently read:

"All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass.  The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away."  I Peter 1:24

Followed by this statement, in verse 25:

"But the word of the Lord endureth forever."

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good picture of you Grandmother. Looks as if she was feeding the dog. It was a fat dog as if she took good care of it. It is a shame that she was not remembered. You would think some of her quilts would still be around.  Helen

Anonymous said...

great picture!  

Anonymous said...

It is a shame that she was not remembered!  Take good care of the pic!!
Missie :)

Anonymous said...

that is an awesome picture to have!

Its true; we are so quickly forgotten - but the Lord and his word does endure forever.

betty

Anonymous said...

The important thing is you remember her.  She is your special person in you past life and in your eyes she will always remain the same.  She is waiting for you in Heaven and will probably meet you at the gate with a warm quilt and a hug. Barbara

Anonymous said...

I know what you mean. My grandmother was an evangelist, wife of the town marshall, and mother of the county judge--and outside the family, no one in that little town remembers her!

Anonymous said...

And she had a dog following her just like you do!

Anonymous said...

Frieda gets all the yarn she can use for free from a senior center up here. In turn she knits one foot squares and her friend sue crochets them together. The blankets of varied size and intended uses got hospitals for supplemental help to unprepared parents or cold elderly patients.  Once a year these ladies are treated to a recognition dinner and personal appearance date from a celebrity. A good time is had by all, all participants donating something for the benefit of others one way or another.




Anonymous said...

You remember her, and that's what counts!  That's what our kids are here for, afterall!  Thanks for sharing the picture with us.
Lori

Anonymous said...

It is always fun to hear of someone you knew years ago. I was scrolling down a site of people looking for people in this county and saw the name of one of my brother's friends from years ago. I was sorry I couldn't help them as they were looking for his mother's family and I hadn't a clue. Paula

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful picture!

Anonymous said...

What a timeless photo.  I love old photos like that, they just seem so...I don't know what the word is, but it is comforting no matter whos grandmother etc it is.  Thanks for sharing it, its a wonderful picture.

Anonymous said...

As sad as that is, it's so true.  As time marches on we do tend to forget.  But, we never forget The Lord.  He is present always..

jackie