I remember ...

As I approach mid life, I want to say to my Grandparents, I remember you! I want to capture memories before I am too old and forget them ...

Nanna, I remember the old folk's home, where we would visit you, where you were a day person, only on Saturdays.  It smelled of pee and old people, not you of course just others. You would give me a Shilling pocket money, every week, you told me it would have bought a loaf of bread many times over when you were a girl.  The equivalent of five new pence, but to me at 8 or 9 years old, 2 packets of crisps (potato chips) at the tuck shop and today a tiny coin that hardly has any value at all. You would religiously walk to our house - a kilometre or so (half a mile), leaning on your walking stick and stopping every few metres or so to catch your breath.  I think of you as old, but you weren't really, not by today's standards, only 20 years older then than I am now, so no, not old, not really.

Do you remember how my sister and I made afternoon tea in your shed? Inviting you and your friend in for your own tea and cake? The shed was all of 3 foot square but you humoured us, made us feel special.  You were born in 1903 and your friend around the same time, so I imagine she has gone too by now.

You took us for days out in school holidays, using your pensioner bus tokens to take us all over the Wirral, New Brighton, Parkgate, West Kirby, I remember.

Originally from Liverpool, home for you was a little ground floor flat, just along the road from the swimming baths at Overpool where Gladys took all the kids from our street swimming each school holidays. We had fun in those days, we didn't have much but with our pushbikes and jam butties (jelly sandwiches to the uninitiated) we would head off for the day, our Mum and Dad never worried cos we were safe, life was different back then.  I must be getting old!  Nostalgia is getting a stranglehold!

And Nanny ... you are as memorable in different ways ... I remember your orange decor - trendy in the sixties. We stayed with you once, slept in the back bedroom, we were kids, it smelled musty and old, with one of those big dark scary wardrobes people had in those days and I remember! I think it was cos Mum thought we had mumps and wanted us out of the house away from Dad.  We didn't, so maybe they just wanted us out of the house!  I'm sure that wasn't the only time you accommodated us, but its the time I remember best.

I tried to shock you by plucking my eyebrows, I was only 13 and dumbo me plucked from the top, well it hurt less, but I was devastated the plucking didn't result in the beautifully shaped brows of my imagination. I had to pencil them back on for weeks!

Dad would take us to see you every Sunday, you were only tiny, less than 5 feet tall.  I remember the stories of Dad's childhood.  How he marched up and down outside your Liverpool home in the war, pretending to be on Guard duty, protecting the street, he was all of 7 year's old at the time.  Or the time he thoughtfully decorated, painting the wall with strawberry jam, a rare commodity during time of rationing and leaving a sticky wall for you to remember it by for years!  Or what about his addiction to syrup of figs?  He only drank the whole bottle once after all! So many other stories lost in the mists of time.

And to my Grandfathers both, I remember you, one of you who limped with one leg shorter than the other, you served in the fire brigade when they wouldn't let you fight in the war, you brought us ice-cream slabs and wafers.  As a pensioner, you would walk the local neighbourhood with your lawnmower, petrol driven to cut the lawn for those less able, I imagine you would call on your lady friend too on your rounds, but I wasn't meant to know about her!  Rose I think her name was.  Tut tut!  I think there is more than a little of your influence in me!

And my other Grandad, I remember how you were a hoarder! You kept everything.  I remember coming to see you for my 11th birthday, you were in hospital, Dad had to get special permission as kids weren't allowed.  They snuck me in through a patio door!  You never came home but I remember.  I remember how they cleared out your shed and it was stashed full, you had even kept Dad's air force uniform from his National Service, 20+ years earlier!

What a lost opportunity that I didn't think to talk to you all more when I had the chance.  Things that we see now as history were things you experienced first hand.  What was it like?  To experience the 20th Century "as it happened"?  To see the increase in adoption of the motor car?  Air travel?  To live through the first world war?  The utter devastation of the flu pandemic that followed?  The early days of women's rights and the Suffragette movement?  What did you think?  The roaring 20's, did you have fun?  How did it feel in 1928 when women won the right to vote?  Did you vote for Winston Churchill?  The fashion changes, showing your ankles for the first time?  The nervous tension and political build up of the depressing 30's?  Then the 40's, and the harsh reality of unfinished business and a second world war, more new fashions and rationing? Then the sweep on the 50's, with Elvis Presley and the Rock 'n' Roll era?  The 60's must have shocked and I can't imagine what you thought when the 70's rolled in!   So much and more!  Sadly, none of you lived to see the end of the century and the advent of the digital age but somehow, I don't think you'd mind too much. You had good lives, but hard lives and I hope you feel your legacy made it all worthwhile, I remember you all so well.

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They made a difference - Nelson Mandela

18 July 1918 – present, age 95

photo credit: Archives de la Ville de Montréal  cc

So sad, if the news media is to be believed, Nelson Mandela is fading and likely to move on to another dimension soon.   Now if you care at all, you have to agree, here is a man who made a difference....

Described by Maggie Thatcher as a terrorist and indeed in technical terms, precisely that, he served many years in prison for leading attempts to overthrow white supremacy in South Africa.

He didn't just make a difference, he is a hero to so many, his forgiveness, his compassion, his humility, his commitment to ending racism, his diplomacy, his bravery, his intelligence..... so much...... never has a man earned the right to global respect and reverence as Nelson Mandela has.

Born of illiterate parents descended from African royalty, intelligent and well educated his rebel tendencies began to develop at university where he was suspended for his part in a boycott against the quality of food and subsequently left without a degree.

Everything about his life set him on the path to becoming this man.  His interest in politics, the timing of his birth, his teaming up with the African National Congress, once condemned as a terrorist organisation and now the governing political party of South Africa, and his own decisions to lead the ANC down a more radical and revolutionary path.  How different is perception when looked at through different eyes and in different times.

The expansion of apartheid by the extremist Government, Herenigde Nasionale Party and their unexpected 1948 (white only) election win, all led to making this man.

His arrest in 1962 and subsequent conviction in 1964, all led to making this man.

His, now famous, time incarcerated on Robben Island in a tiny cell, where his vision became impaired due to sunlight reflecting off lime in the quarry where he was assigned to work, his encouragement of others, his religious, Afrikaans and legal studies, even his prisoner number 46664 all served to make this man.

His correspondence with people such as Desmond Tutu, his influence on the political arena, the respect for this man, locked away from the world and yet still inspiring anti apartheid sanctions and rock concerts in his name, his eventual release on 11 February 1990, leading to a final end to apartheid in South Africa, his winning of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 and his election to President in 1994 all served to make this man.

Let's not forget F W de Klerk's role in negotiating an end to apartheid and freeing Nelson Mandela, enabling him to continue with his destiny, he too made a difference.

Would Nelson Mandela have made such a difference if he hadn't been imprisoned in the way he was?  Would he have been inspired to make a difference with a different lifestyle?  With different people?  If you are looking, Nelson Mandela is an example of somebody who was truly put on this earth to make a difference with all roads leading to the inevitable outcome. 

 photo credit: p_c_w cc

A man of many names, Mandela his "English" name given to him by his school teacher Miss Mdingane, Rolihlahla his birth name meaning "troublemaker" given to him by his father, well he certainly lived up to that one... Madiba, his very polite clan name, Dalibhunga his grown up name given to him aged 16 after his traditional rite of passage, meaning 'founder of the council' or 'convenor of the dialogue' and unquestionably a name he took to heart, then there is Khulu, meaning "Great One" and possibly the one he may value most is Tata, meaning 'father' and used as a term of endearment by so many South Africans.

In a perfect world, Mandela's commitment to reconciliation will become his legacy, however, sadly we live in an imperfect world and already there is dissension as his family fight over where he will be buried and that's before he is even dead!  Let's hope they reconcile before the inevitable end.

Long live Nelson Mandela!

Inspirational Quotes

To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world

A good leader can engage in a debate frankly and thoroughly, knowing that at the end he and the other side must be closer, and thus emerge stronger.  You don't have that idea when you are arrogant, superficial and uninformed

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Useless Facts

• Sun sign (astrology): Cancer
• Myers Briggs           : INFJ

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