Learning by Listening

Thanksgiving is a time for listening and learning. For years my family would gather at my maternal grandparents' home for Thanksgiving. It was our turkey day as well as our Christmas with them, for as soon as the leftovers were gone, so would they head to sunny Florida for the winter. (I don't have any digital images from that era, but the image above is from more recent past Thanksgiving were many of my family gathered, told stories, sang the traditional "I'm Mrs Turkey" song, laughed, and loved.)

Still, I remember, every year at this time, how my grandfather would tell us his stories of growing up, trapping and canoeing along the Providence River, driving through a hurricane to reach my then pregnant grandmother. He would tell us about family camping trips to New Hampshire and of trips to Cape Cod. We listened and we learned the bits and pieces of our heritage. But so much was lost. So many questions went unasked, unanswered.

Today I am fortunate to work with some very special people who are sharing their life's history with me. I have learned about delivering coal by horse drawn wagon, about how Apple St, was renamed to Bethany Rd., about the influenza epidemic that left a little boy motherless at the age of 5, and about the Sons of Italy girls' drill team. I'm learning a little Italian here and there, and soaking all this history in.

This Thanksgiving, whether you celebrate for one afternoon, one day, two days, a week, share the family celebration of learning through listening.

Happy Thanksgiving.