So how did it turn out?

 

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When you get to be a geezer with time on your hands to wonder what tomorrow will bring or if it will come and ponder the past, the idea of legacy returns. How did it all turn out?

If you are in your last chapter, can you go back and review your accomplishments for the next generation?

This is a family, most long gone now, who my brother and I are trying to place names to faces. These are people I grew up with. These are people I was required to send Christmas cards to (in hopes of getting a five spot). These were people I knew little about and still don’t.

They may have had the same goals and aspirations as their generation but were interrupted by a war. The men served and the women coped with restrictions and waited for the boys to come back home.

When I arrived these separate family members were off creating families, buying cars and appliances, working jobs of various types all being a reflection of our post-war time.

Looking back at those aunties who squeezed cheeks and asked, “What are you going to be when you grow up? “What did you say?

“I’m going to be a cowboy.” “I’m going to be a ballerina.”  “I’m going to be an astronaut.”  “I’m going to be King of the World.”

All the while these people were chuckling and saying, “A doctor, lawyer or Indian Chief”

You had no idea what was about to come.

The first goal that everyone agreed upon was education, We, due to our privilege and that we won the war, were entitled to public education with the finish teachers that the school board could afford teaching the latest versions of mathematics, English, science, history while all the while trying to get the classroom to blend into the next generation. These folks had no thoughts that the little ones on their laps would have to take care of them as geezers.

One of the prime directives of education was to guide you into employment to carry on the status queue. The 50’s was do what is normal and follow the lemmings.

Did you get that job you dreamed of? Did you make the school yearbook page? Did you meet the love of your life?  Did you get that big promotion and title to impress others? Did you raise a family? How did that turn out? Did you get a pet(s)? Did you get married(s)? Did you ever physically fight another? Did eat something you didn’t like? Did you buy smart clothing to look sharp? Did you buy a car and then wreck it? Did you forget your dream job and move onto something else that would pay the mortgage? Did you move away from home only to come back? Did you turn you dream job into a hobby? Did you settle on being an alcoholic? Did you join a club to be accepted? Did your daughter become a street walker and your son a junkie? Did you mentor your fellow workers? Did you learn to swim or ride a bicycle or hang-glide? Did you ever kiss someone who was not your partner? Did you pray? Did you succumb to an illness or disability? Did you dig in the dirt?

At a certain age, one turns around and looks back. Did you accomplish what you wanted?

The gravestone will only record you name and date of birth and death.