If you are thinking about what, exactly, your legacy might
consist of, one of the first things you probably should consider is what,
exactly, do you know about your great-grandmothers and your
great-grandfathers? Think about that for
a minute or two and then read on.
Now, if you’re like me, you will answer this question with a
definite, “not very much.” And, if
you’re like most of us, today, that is what your great-grandchildren will have
to say about you if anyone might ask them the question after they have put on a few years themselves. OK by you?
Well, it wasn’t OK by me, and that is the reason for this brief
discussion. You see, I couldn’t even
tell you the names of any of my great-grandfathers or great-grandmothers other
than one, “Bappy” Benham, was her name, and that “Bappy,” or so I was told,
came from 4 year old great-grandson Steve when he visited her in Princeton ,
Indiana
And maybe, just maybe, that is exactly why I am sitting
here, in my living room, at four in the morning, adding key stroke after key
stroke to a desktop file called “SVGeddesAutobiography.IN-PROCESS.” I’ve been working on this file for about 16
months, and what I thought would be a done deal in about four months is
stretching out just a bit. And, you know
what? That’s just fine with me. So far I have about 180 pages. I expect what I thought would be done after
about 100 to 150 pages when I began probably will end up as a 200 to 250 page
work. In any case, we will see about
that, whenever, and I will have filled in a few blanks for anyone who can claim
me as one of his or her forefathers should they care to take the time to read
the book. And, you know what? They just might learn a thing or two about
themselves while they learn a thing or two about me. And that, in my book, if in no one else’s, could
be a good thing.
Well, I guess it's time to stop.
Wife wanders in, dog in tow, saying: "He wants to go out." So, it’s “up,
up, and away!” (Remember that?) And out to the front yard we two go (for
about two minutes or so) to dewater.
Then back inside. Then to bed
(both of us—he’s gotten his relief, and the valarian I took a short while after
I awoke has finally kicked in, which is to say I, too, will soon find some
relief.)
Bye for now.
Well, a couple more hours sleep and I’m back at it—this
autobiography thing, that is. You know,
I like what I’m doing. You might too, if
you give it a try. And, do you think
your great, great grandchildren might appreciate it too? You won’t really know, but I think an
educated guess might be made: Damn right
they will!
SVG
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