sadness

[greeneyesgudge]

Was busy doing my family tree.and was thinking of all the diffrrnt people different names in my tree with records etc and it made me sad to think that I probley won't ever get to meet these people .i won't ever know what they look like weather they were nice or horrible who knows unless there is such a thing as heaven .i hope there is .made me sad thinking bout it .

[Emjaybee]

I'm sure these thoughts hit all of us at some time. I take a look at their occupations and if I find one that has improved themselves I feel pleased for them.

Some of my lot can be found in the FindMyPast newspapers, and they all seem to have been helpful to other people.

Mike

[Gillg]

I think I feel sadder about the missed opportunities I have had while older generations were alive.  If only I had asked them about their family memories I wouldn't have so many unanswered questions now.  Did my grandfather know that his 70 year old grandmother had emigrated to the US with two of her children?  Was it true that my gt-grandmother had a wild fling after the death of her husband with someone I believe to have been her cousin?  From which of my mother's relatives did she, her sister and  her sister's grandchild inherit their wonderful red hair?  I could go on.......

Gillg

[Viktoria]

Lost opportunities are always sad , I wish I had asked more about people and I especially wish I had asked for photographs. At least two family members got rid of old photographs---grrrrrr!
I would like to know what their voices were like, did my Shropshire grandmother have a strong accent, which is a lovely one.
I`d have asked where in country graveyards are  buried many relatives without gravestones. Now the older generation has gone no-one remember the little grass mounds and records were lost years and years ago.
I always wanted a grandma( to come between me and my mother`s wrath) but sadly both died before I  was born.
Yes ,lost opportunities are very sadand also the sense of loss about people who after all we never met but we feel they are "ours". I  too hope we will meet someday.
                                                            Viktoria.

[rancegal]

  I used to listen, fascinated, as my grandma told me stories of her chilhood, and I used to say 'When I grow up, Nanna, I shall write them all down". Alas, she died when I was fourteen.
   
     How I wish now that I had written them when I was younger! Still, she did awaken my interest in history, especially Family History.

[Rishile]

I can really relate to this thread.  My father never spoke about his family although we were in contact with his sister and mother when I was a child.  I can only remember him talking about his father once but as my grandfather died before I was born I knew nothing about him.  I didn't  even know his name until I started my research.  I would really love to know if my aunt 'lived in sin' for so many years because I have been unable to find any marriage record for her and have a vague recollection of my mother whispering that 'Mavis and Andy never married'.  My grandmother was very religious and very strict so I can't believe she would have stayed in contact with her daughter but she did.  My father would also have known his grandparents as he was in his 30's when they died and they lived close to his family but they are just names in my research for me.

So, the moral of the story is - if you have people that you can ask, DO IT NOW.

Rishile

[greeneyesgudge]

Hi rish.i know what you mean there just names .got an Interesting letter today fro my great aunt who I've recently just found through my research .she has many storys to tell some off it made me cry .my g grandma died in childbirth age 27 and my g aunt goes into great detail about wat happend afterwards and the war .also found out that my ggggranparents went to south America in the 1800 for work .but the wifes and children kept getting pesters by the native Indians so in the end they upped and left back to England but one of the sons had to stay behind .not sure y maybey they couldn't afford his fare home .was a great letter am thankful for it and will cherish it forever now .