Let’s just pick an age — any age!
Can you imagine where you were when you were 17? Can you think back to 1994? What was the sun like on your 21st birthday (if you aren’t that old yet, just wait!)?
As I open my memory box, I can bring back visual images and even smells. As I age, I’m sure that my stories I tell to my friends are embellished. That’s why oral history must always be balanced with archival records. Or so I learned when I went through archival studies!
So imagine this story. Believe as much as you want!
When I was about to go into grade 11, we moved. From Toronto area to Regina, Saskatchewan. My parent’s “house to be” was not yet built. We needed a place to live. The apartments were only so large — and by that I mean not large! There were nine of us altogether in what I remember as a one bedroom apartment (it was probably two bedrooms).
Mom and dad were wise. I wish to be as wise as them in my old age.
They sent us off separately to camp — freeing up vital room. When we came back, we were able to move to a small rental home with a little more room.
Funny, but the most memorable times in life are often the most squeezed, exhausting and disconcerting times. And I wouldn’t have missed it for anything!!
Oh how I agree. Our family will always remember the month our son moved home from BC, our daughter & family moved home from Alberta, and my husbands mother moved in with us from Moose Jaw. We have a medium sized home. Within 3 weeks we went from empty nest, one dog — to 4 generations , two dogs, and a combined 4 households. It was a case of using boxes to make rooms. It was July so it was hot. But the beauty of it all was that we stood together as a family and made it work. And it worked wonderfully well. Although each one of us was glad to gain our own space again. Still that is a fond memory of family working together, loving one another, and serving one another.
It is a great memory.
MaryAnne
So true, some of the most memorable times were some of the hardest.