Wow. Family secret upon family secret, forgiveness weaving itself throughout. And your mother at the end of this long line of forbiddens, finally reconciling and loving. What a beautiful, soaring, redemptive family story!
Kimberly, Thank you for taking precious time out of your day to read this. It means so much. My dear mom. She and my nana are my heroes. To endure, forgive and live is so very redemptive. Sending you much love and gratitude over this rainy Easter weekend. oxox
I intentionally waited for an uninterrupted moment to read. Your story brought the family and characters to life. I could see the black and white images as your story unfolded and felt the anguish and heartbreak. I came away with the sense of grace found in forgiveness. Beautifully written.
Thank you so much Barbara for taking the time to read! I hoped to touch a few people with how much strength, grace and forgiveness we are capable of. Not easy but life can go on and be beautiful., although I now say that joy and grief will always walk side by side. Embracing that, as we continue on the path, is what counts. Sending you my love. oxox
The beauty in your words weaves together the love and pain that enveloped your family’s lives. The reader is inserted into your colorful descriptive story as a member of your family feeling all if the emotions that go along with it. You are a gifted writer and I feel so blessed to be a part of your journey.
You have inspired me to start writing some of the my family history. I seem to know more about the names and less about the people. However, I did write a small piece for you.
It was winter. The face of a small boy only 6 years old staring straight ahead for a picture. That is how Great Grandpa Morris must have seen it. No one will ever know. The boy, Grandpa Dave, turned around to wave. He did not know that would be the last time he saw his father. His father did not pick him from school that day. At what time time no one knows, his death certificate hasn’t been found, but Great Grandpa Morris lie dead in an ally in the streets of New York City at the age of 29. Probably killed by the Jewish mob. Did he cut into their bootlegging territory? The small boy, Dave also known as Duddy, remembers Meyer Lansky as a boy upstairs in his father’s garage. The picture of him and his name imprinted into his mind.
This is the most exciting response and I feel so completely blessed to get it! Thank you, thank you, thank you, not only for your response to the story, but for sharing part of yours! It was my prayer that I would get at least one or two people to be inspired enough to research, write, journal, share, sit with, etc, their family and their stories!
I can see the scene you laid out of this little boy. The thick air, the breath of smoke, the snow and this little boy waiting outside the school. What a story and what a mystery? I remember the movie "The Gangs of New York." The desperate struggle to make it in America. The street territories of all the different people coming in through Ellis Island and clawing their way to survival. Talk about division, race issues, cultural issues. Nothing new under the sun - yet it's the stories within our lives that make us who we are and I find them intriguing. It's a way for me to seek gratitude and learn from them. I hope you pursue this. I found that I would also enjoy and need to do research. I have spent hours, discerning, listening, looking and even signed up for Ancestry, only to discover missing pieces of stories I knew that remained a mystery - like the one "The Luckiest People In The World." Years of missing pieces, mysteries, came together from Ancestry, like a gift handed to me, along with the gift of hearing I needed to write. Truly overwhelming and spiritual. We had subscribed before, looked before, searched and came up with nothing. I also want to get the details, facts "of the time period" correct., so it can be a lot of work. I'm appreciating what goes into writing more than I ever thought I would.
Thank you for joining me on this journey Jodie! Hope we can get together someday!
When I was in 5th grade I had to write a paper for school that started my quest for knowledge about my family history. I asked my grandparents, great aunts and uncles, and the great great aunts and uncles anything they could remember. It was mostly names and a few stories. I started a family tree but never put it online. Now I need to pull it from family tree maker to put it on a private online tree. It sees like there isn’t time to do these things. My parents don’t seem to know much but I am now inspired to ask them. My Grandpa Dave was good about telling stories. I wish I wrote them down while he was alive. My Grandpa Fred never wanted to talk about it. During Covid I started 2 family FB pages one for my mom’s side and one for my dad’s side. I invited my cousins and then they invited cousins. We have shared pictures. It has been really fun. I have connected with the grand kids of my great grand father’s siblings on my Dad’s side. They shared a picture of my great grandfather at the family farm in Wyoming and one of his paintings. You may want to try it.
I am again re-living the events of my life through your heart stirring words, with tears flowing down my cheeks. Life today is so vastly different in comparison to then, at least here in America. The memories came flooding back through your descriptive writing. This is what you were meant to do. I love that you have found your dormant talent and I love you always.
It is because of you I write now. You have been my biggest inspiration and encourager. In all things. For years I had a reminder on my phone to "just write," and I couldn't figure out where to start? I believe pain can stir heavy consequences - both of which I've experienced. The thought of not wanting to be around to feel such pain, the depths of grief... or the ability to get up and do something with all of it. The timing was just given to me through the journey. I heard His voice say the name, "The Family We Keep," and I just began to get filled. It has lied dormant for so long. Too much talking and not enough doing. It's your story that I told and I pray I can someday get it to a big screen. It would be epic. It's meant to be shared. I love you to infinity. ox
My friend I don't have the words I am so overwhelmed and so many thoughts. It's midnight here in NC and I am literally sobbing. Your mum and Nana are such strong people. One day I'll have to share my family secret story not as dramatic but painful nonetheless. Love you and Hugs.
Thank you for taking the time to read it. It warms my heart to know how much it touched you. I also know how hard you work and how your life is full of gratitude for coming through hard things. I hope I get to hear your story someday. Love you and hugging you from afar. For now. oxox
We both know how strong Dad was & how strong Mom still is by reliving their life with so much to endure. Puts so much in perspective of how lucky we are to have had such wonderful parents who cared so much. Thank you for this & God bless you my sweet sister for finding the courage to write about it through your own tears. I love you so much & look forward to your writings always.
Can't begin to tell you how blessed we are. Thank you for your love. I feel completely lead to write and experience every ounce of gratitude for the days I've been given and the people in our family who survived some of the hardest things.
Wow. Family secret upon family secret, forgiveness weaving itself throughout. And your mother at the end of this long line of forbiddens, finally reconciling and loving. What a beautiful, soaring, redemptive family story!
Kimberly, Thank you for taking precious time out of your day to read this. It means so much. My dear mom. She and my nana are my heroes. To endure, forgive and live is so very redemptive. Sending you much love and gratitude over this rainy Easter weekend. oxox
It was a great pleasure to read. What a treasure of a lineage you are carrying within your heart.
We do carry our stories ❤️
Thank you again Kimberly. ox
I intentionally waited for an uninterrupted moment to read. Your story brought the family and characters to life. I could see the black and white images as your story unfolded and felt the anguish and heartbreak. I came away with the sense of grace found in forgiveness. Beautifully written.
Thank you so much Barbara for taking the time to read! I hoped to touch a few people with how much strength, grace and forgiveness we are capable of. Not easy but life can go on and be beautiful., although I now say that joy and grief will always walk side by side. Embracing that, as we continue on the path, is what counts. Sending you my love. oxox
The beauty in your words weaves together the love and pain that enveloped your family’s lives. The reader is inserted into your colorful descriptive story as a member of your family feeling all if the emotions that go along with it. You are a gifted writer and I feel so blessed to be a part of your journey.
You have inspired me to start writing some of the my family history. I seem to know more about the names and less about the people. However, I did write a small piece for you.
It was winter. The face of a small boy only 6 years old staring straight ahead for a picture. That is how Great Grandpa Morris must have seen it. No one will ever know. The boy, Grandpa Dave, turned around to wave. He did not know that would be the last time he saw his father. His father did not pick him from school that day. At what time time no one knows, his death certificate hasn’t been found, but Great Grandpa Morris lie dead in an ally in the streets of New York City at the age of 29. Probably killed by the Jewish mob. Did he cut into their bootlegging territory? The small boy, Dave also known as Duddy, remembers Meyer Lansky as a boy upstairs in his father’s garage. The picture of him and his name imprinted into his mind.
Dearest Jodie,
This is the most exciting response and I feel so completely blessed to get it! Thank you, thank you, thank you, not only for your response to the story, but for sharing part of yours! It was my prayer that I would get at least one or two people to be inspired enough to research, write, journal, share, sit with, etc, their family and their stories!
I can see the scene you laid out of this little boy. The thick air, the breath of smoke, the snow and this little boy waiting outside the school. What a story and what a mystery? I remember the movie "The Gangs of New York." The desperate struggle to make it in America. The street territories of all the different people coming in through Ellis Island and clawing their way to survival. Talk about division, race issues, cultural issues. Nothing new under the sun - yet it's the stories within our lives that make us who we are and I find them intriguing. It's a way for me to seek gratitude and learn from them. I hope you pursue this. I found that I would also enjoy and need to do research. I have spent hours, discerning, listening, looking and even signed up for Ancestry, only to discover missing pieces of stories I knew that remained a mystery - like the one "The Luckiest People In The World." Years of missing pieces, mysteries, came together from Ancestry, like a gift handed to me, along with the gift of hearing I needed to write. Truly overwhelming and spiritual. We had subscribed before, looked before, searched and came up with nothing. I also want to get the details, facts "of the time period" correct., so it can be a lot of work. I'm appreciating what goes into writing more than I ever thought I would.
Thank you for joining me on this journey Jodie! Hope we can get together someday!
love, deb
Deb,
When I was in 5th grade I had to write a paper for school that started my quest for knowledge about my family history. I asked my grandparents, great aunts and uncles, and the great great aunts and uncles anything they could remember. It was mostly names and a few stories. I started a family tree but never put it online. Now I need to pull it from family tree maker to put it on a private online tree. It sees like there isn’t time to do these things. My parents don’t seem to know much but I am now inspired to ask them. My Grandpa Dave was good about telling stories. I wish I wrote them down while he was alive. My Grandpa Fred never wanted to talk about it. During Covid I started 2 family FB pages one for my mom’s side and one for my dad’s side. I invited my cousins and then they invited cousins. We have shared pictures. It has been really fun. I have connected with the grand kids of my great grand father’s siblings on my Dad’s side. They shared a picture of my great grandfather at the family farm in Wyoming and one of his paintings. You may want to try it.
I am again re-living the events of my life through your heart stirring words, with tears flowing down my cheeks. Life today is so vastly different in comparison to then, at least here in America. The memories came flooding back through your descriptive writing. This is what you were meant to do. I love that you have found your dormant talent and I love you always.
Oh Dear Mama,
It is because of you I write now. You have been my biggest inspiration and encourager. In all things. For years I had a reminder on my phone to "just write," and I couldn't figure out where to start? I believe pain can stir heavy consequences - both of which I've experienced. The thought of not wanting to be around to feel such pain, the depths of grief... or the ability to get up and do something with all of it. The timing was just given to me through the journey. I heard His voice say the name, "The Family We Keep," and I just began to get filled. It has lied dormant for so long. Too much talking and not enough doing. It's your story that I told and I pray I can someday get it to a big screen. It would be epic. It's meant to be shared. I love you to infinity. ox
My friend I don't have the words I am so overwhelmed and so many thoughts. It's midnight here in NC and I am literally sobbing. Your mum and Nana are such strong people. One day I'll have to share my family secret story not as dramatic but painful nonetheless. Love you and Hugs.
Dear Linda,
Thank you for taking the time to read it. It warms my heart to know how much it touched you. I also know how hard you work and how your life is full of gratitude for coming through hard things. I hope I get to hear your story someday. Love you and hugging you from afar. For now. oxox
We both know how strong Dad was & how strong Mom still is by reliving their life with so much to endure. Puts so much in perspective of how lucky we are to have had such wonderful parents who cared so much. Thank you for this & God bless you my sweet sister for finding the courage to write about it through your own tears. I love you so much & look forward to your writings always.
We are so blessed
Dear Adam,
Can't begin to tell you how blessed we are. Thank you for your love. I feel completely lead to write and experience every ounce of gratitude for the days I've been given and the people in our family who survived some of the hardest things.
Love you so much. oxox