Memories of Our Youth

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Memories of Our Youth
by Andrea Lena DiMaggio


 
Gresham, Oregon….

“You okay, Nana?” The young woman stood in the alcove leading to the living room. She had a cup of coffee in her hand, and the steam had fogged her glasses. She put the cup down on the table in front of the sofa and sat down. Reaching over, she rubbed the woman’s back, evoking a sigh.

“It’s just that,” Alice pointed to the TV screen; the ending credits of a movie were rolling, and the music was a bit louder than either of them would have liked. Jeanne had just put the baby down for a nap and hoped the music hadn’t disturbed the little one’s rest. Alice, on the other hand shook her head. She picked the remote and turned off the recording with an apologetic look as both of them looked down the short hallway to the baby’s room.

“Something my grandfather said to me…” She bit her lip.

“He was so angry about losing his Dad….” Her voice carried only a hint of Brisbane since she’d spent her teens and then young adulthood in Chicago after the family moved.

“About Gallipoli, Nana?” The old woman nodded. It was a part of their heritage that was both sad and wonderful as valor had been mixed all too foolishly with someone else’ choices, leaving young men half-way around a cruel world to die or nearly perish with hurts too painful to forget and memories too needful to set aside.

“He said to me if we ever get in another war…” She put her head down, almost ashamed.

“Nana…you should be proud.” Jeanne touched the old woman’s cheek. Tears began to spill as Alice shook her head, as if her own choices were somehow wrong.

“I can’t close my eyes once without remembering the lads….” She would have finished the sentence had she not begun to sob. She buried her face in her granddaughter’s shoulder.

“Pop-pop made you feel ashamed….your own battles, Nana. You’re brave to me.” Jeanne looked over at the picture on the mantle; the only piece of that past Alice had left behind. A group of twenty or so young men in brand new uniforms, ready to take on the world and all too many of them destined to lose to that same world. One tall boy stood out; a smile on his face and ginger locks peeking out from under his cap. One of only two who returned home.

“He never understood.” Alice said between short gasps. She looked down at herself as if by living she should be condemned. Not just surviving, but coming to the conclusion that in order to live, she had to truly live her life the way she saw herself.

“Mum brought him around….but I still wonder what he really thought at the end. “

“If he could see you now? I think he’d be proud.” It was probably true, since her father was a fairly reasonable man for all his faults. But even in that, he could never bring himself to say he was proud of his only child. A child who grew up a continent away from his birthplace only to risk his life by returning to do his duty. A child who nearly died saving his best mate in a place called Nui Dat who vowed almost like his great grandfather…never again.

“Nana? I’m so proud of you. You’re about as brave as anyone I’ll ever know!” Jeanne rubbed the old woman’s arm and stared at the picture on the mantle, thankful that the ginger-haired boy had returned; not too safely inside if preserved. She looked at her grandmother and her own tears began to fall. The old woman’s eyes were still as bright as ever; eager to please and desperate for love and acceptance. Her ginger hair had faded only a bit from her youth, but she was stronger in so many ways than when she gave her all for her homeland decades before in a place called Nui Dat.

“You….you’re proud of me?” Alice said weakly, a weakness not borne of age, but of near astonishment. A child that had grown up without ever hearing those words from her own father and never hearing the needful accompaniment of ‘I love you;’ unspoken praise from a generation that never said what they felt out loud. But her father did leave a letter upon his death. A letter from a man who barely understood, but tried; a letter filled with terse but positive remarks about a boy named Tim who finally had the strength to do what was necessary to live a life. Jeanne blinked back tears and pulled Alice in for a hug.

“Oh yes, Nana.” She hugged her tight and stroked the ginger locks and kissed the face of the woman who had not only survived, but lived her own life.

“Yes…..” She was going to continue but a baby’s cry came from the nursery down the hall.

“I’ve got to….”

“Bring her along, Jeanne. We can have tea.” The old woman nodded and smiled. Jeanne got up and walked down the hallway. Alice sighed and wiped the tears from her eyes and stared at the photo on the mantle.

“I won’t forget you,” she said to herself as her attention fell upon the only other one to survive the horror of those dreadful days years ago. Her eyes brimmed once again with tears as she smiled at the face of the man who accepted her and loved her and stood by her as she took the first of many steps to live her life. Jeanne returned with the baby in her arms and walked to the mantle.

“He was a good man, Nana…a very good man.”

The baby cooed at Jeanne's words as she picked up the picture, staring at the two boys standing side by side; ready to take on a world that had decided there was no room for children of another generation, even if they sacrificed and gave their all. But a new world would learn to accept a boy and a ginger-haired girl; two who faced death and lived life the way it was meant to be lived.

“Yes he was, Jeanne…yes he was.” The tears fell freely now, but they were no longer tears of regret and shame but of lasting hope and love. The baby cooed again. Alice held out her arms and welcomed her great-granddaughter with a big smile. Jeanne leaned closer and kissed Alice on the forehead.

“I love you so much, Nana.” And with that, she walked slowly into the kitchen and put the kettle on for tea….

With loving thanks to all of those here and around the world who have served with honor and valor and sacrifice
to keep us safe. In honor of today; known as Armistice Day, Remembrance Day, and Veteran’s Day


Hymn to the Fallen
Composed by John Williams
For the Motion Picture
Saving Private Ryan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Omd9_FJnerY

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Comments

You Know How To Make Me Cry

joannebarbarella's picture

Whatever we all call it, it is 11/11, and everyone who fought in all those wars, of whatever gender, needs to be remembered. Thanks 'Drea,

Joanne

"I'm proud of you"

how many of us would do anything to hear that, just once?

Well, Drea, in case you need to hear it, let me say it.

I am proud of you.

And I am proud to be your sister-in-heart, and for you to be Tante to little Dottie.

DogSig.png

Thank you

the only service man that was related to me was my Da, he was on a medical ship Sanctuary finishing the patchwork done by others. I was lucky he resigned his commission in 1977, met Mum in 78 Mum passed when I was born they missed missed a bleeder she never knew about her daughter, as Da said I was supposed to be a boy. 92 Da was taken by a drunk driver. Thank the Goddess he was able to return from Viet Nam. True he was pretty safe as a doctor off the coast but so many more survived because her was there. Told me that he always will remember the one sailor that died on his table, Today I shall remember him for my Da

Goddess Bless you

Love Desiree

We Know

As a parent I sometimes think about never being able to see how my children turn out when they complete life's journey.

But . . . I think I know.

Jill

Angela Rasch (Jill M I)

Thank you,'Drea,

Nicely said,'Drea,but sometimes I wish that I could forget---one day perhaps. Hugs,Alison

ALISON

Love & Thanks to all who served

We all honor your service as you honored us by serving!

And thank you, Andrea, for your remembrance,

Toddy Bear

A fitting memoir!

'Drea ... as one who remembers Nov. 11 as Armistice Day, this is such a loving, warm snippet. So many of us in our young years were carted off to far away places to serve in questionable -- and many would say unnecessary -- wars. Are we heroes? The hype of the current day would say so. Some certainly were in a real sense, but most of us just followed along doing what we were told. Some of us had a gentle spirit and found it not in our nature to "fight."

We were so young then and some of us felt so out of place. This story dramatizes in a few well-chosen spare words that situation. Great job.

So...

I don't think this sentiment could have been better expressed by anyone else. You seem to have a way of reaching something deep within us and perhaps bring us all a bit closer to spiritual completion.

Another Lil' Irish

Brrrrrrrrrrrrat

PKB_003b.jpg

Up with the very best of your

Up with the very best of your work, Drea.

My dad was too young to serve during WWII, but my granddad on my mother's side saw action in Italy. One night he was sleeping on the side of Mount Etna and it very nearly erupted. Closer to home, my mum slept through the bombardment that reduced all except three of the houses in Stanley Road, Southsea, to rubble.

She was only 5. It meant my nan could buy bananas.

Best song to play on Veterans/Armistice Day? No contest.

http://youtu.be/LRaLGq3F2_4

Christmas Eve 1914, stars were burning, burning bright
And all along the Western front guns were lying still and quiet
Men lay dozing in the trenches, in the cold and in the dark
And far away behind the lines the village dog began to bark

Some lay thinking of their families, some sang songs while others were quiet
Rolling fags and playing brag to pass away that Christmas night
As they watched the German trenches, something moved in no man's land
Through the dark there came a soldier carrying a white flag in his hand

Then from both sides men came running, crossing into no man's land
Through the barbed wire, mud and shell-holes, shyly stood there shaking hands
Fritz brought out cigars and brandy, Tommy brought corned beef and fags
Stood there talking, shyly laughing, as the moon shone down on no man's land

Then Christmas Day we all played football in the mud of no man's land
Tommy brought some Christmas pudding, Fritz brought out a German band
When they beat us at the football we shared out all our grub and drink
Then Fritz showed me a faded photo of a brown-haired girl back in Berlin

For four days after no one fired, not one shell disturbed the night
For old Fritz and Tommy Atkins, they'd both lost their will to fight
So they withdrew us from the trenches, sent us far behind the lines
Sent fresh lads to take our places and told the guns, Prepare to fire

And next night in 1914, flares were burning, burning bright
The orders came, Prepare offensive! Over the top your going tonight
And men stood waiting in the trenches, looked out across our football park
As all along the Western front the Christmas guns began to bark

And men stood waiting in the trenches, looked out across our football park

As all along the Western front the Christmas guns began tae bark

Ban nothing. Question everything.

Gallipoli and the ANZACS

When I was in Australia, I saw a movie called The ANZACS. It was the most horrible film I had ever seen. Too many Australian and Ne Zealander lives were lost unnecessarily, because of improper leadership. You don't give an order to attack, and then sacrifice nearly all of your fighting force. ANZAC stands for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.

This is a very good emotional story 'Drea. CThank you for sharing.

"With confidence and forbearance, we will have the strength to move forward."

Love & hugs,
Barbara

"If I have to be this girl in me, Then I have the right to be."

Oh Andrea!

As always the powerful emotion held within your writing is wonderfully overwhelming! I to give thanks to our Veterans. Hugs, Taarpa

Galilpoli

Gallipoli was the birth of the ANZAC legend and is commemorated every April 25 here in Australia. There is also a dawn service at Gallipoli. It remembers the soldiers of both sides who lost their lives. I also noted the Vietnam reference - a very different war.

A nice story around Remembrance Day(11/11).
Joanna