I'm starting to gain a new appreciation for my family

Growing up as a kid I've never been close to my mom's side of the family. By that I mean I rarely seen them. But now as I'm older I realize that even though I see my Dad's side of the family a few times a year, I realize I know little about them as well.

 

On Father's day, my parents and I (my brothers were working, I beleive) went to see my grandpa (dad's dad) and we stayed there longer than usual because we were talking about a recent event that went on my Mom's side of the family with him and my Aunty Lena and Uncle Paul who were there. I'm not going to say what the even was, because it's highly personal and I've been basically forbidden to talk about it to anyone other than the family.

 

But anyways, after they left we chatted for a while, and I found out my grandpa had been in the air force during WW2 in England! Growing up I got a lot of mixed signals and I thought I was told he was a chef in WW2, or a shopkeeper. But now I know the truth that he loaded planes for people-some people he knew flew bombs over Berlin. Thank god he never had to fly planes or do any bombing. Even now over 60 years later, he is absolutely against going into planes because of that.

 

After hearing this I was absoluetly astonished. I'm big into research WW1 and 2, and after watching movies such as "Flyboys" (a WW1 movie, but still) I never dreamed of someone I knew stocking planes like that. I got to say my grandpa is becomming an inspiration to me. I just wish I would have know this information even a year ago. He'll be 92 in August and although in pretty good health for his age....well, you know the rest...

 

However, he is not the only person I've gained a new appreciation for. MY aunty Cathy, who is in her early 60's, has been a part of different quires for a long time, and it turned out that one time (I'm not sure when, I'm going to have to ask her) she sang for the Queen of England with her quire! It just amazes me how little I know about the people I've grown around. I really want to learn more about them. They've accomplished so much and are still living to do even more great things for their family. I can only hope I can do a lasting favour for them.

 

-Kristal