Some of you blogging about history and genealogy might be familiar with this genre: A few years ago I started binge-reading published letters and diaries written by women who lived in turbulent times (WWI, WWII, 19th century revolutions and civil wars, etc.). They are a fascinating read, because they rarely focus on the large events of history - they tell us about the day to day life and struggles of individual, average people. These collections are a stunning testimony to
RESILIENCE. Holding on to hope, taking care of each other, surviving against all odds. I am lucky enough to have some of these letters and diaries saved from my own grandparents who lived through WWII. They are precious, important stories that should not be forgotten.
Living in turbulent times, it is good to remember the people who lived through all kinds of hardships, and left their testimony, not as history texts, but as stories told in their own voice. They give us hope, teach us empathy, and tell us a lot about what resilience looks like.
If you have book or blog recommendations on this topic, please share in the comments! And don't forget: what you write now, might become similarly precious for people in a few decades...
16 comments:
My Great Grandfather built railroads in the early 1900s and the things he did to get the rails through the wilderness were pretty incredible. Every day I am in awe of those who came before us. Their lives were rich, yet filled with what seem like insurmountable odds to us today.
Here we go again, L for The Little Mermaid
http://imagery77.blogspot.com/2023/04/little-mermaid.html
Hank
“… don't forget: what you write now, might become similarly precious for people in a few decades... ”
Interesting thought. I’m trying to imag8be what they’ll say about us in 100 years
Getting in “line”
L is for Lines
https://ladyleemanilablog.wordpress.com/2023/04/14/london-in-latuin/
Excellent post. So very true. We do need our historical societies to request more people from all walks of life (ages, genders, income levels) to contribute to this.
Our local one only accepts such from large-level donors.
When my sister died last year, a friend of hers who was choosing books from her amongst her many, came across two love letters from my parents to each other before they got married which were an unexpected window into tenderness...
My Mother used LOL to mean Lots of Love and this lead to embarrassment for me in the age of texting... Read all about it at
https://how-would-you-know.com/2023/04/l-the-two-meanings-of-lol-lady-godiva-and-use-your-head-more-rhyming-slang-and-text-abbreviations.html
Writing from the past is interesting - even if it is only legal documents! One life much has been written about features in my post for letter L.
https://suestrifles.wordpress.com/2023/04/14/light-and-life-atozchallenge/
https://misky.uk/2023/04/14/14-april-a-to-z-challenge/
My parents threw away old letters and diaries as being of no interest to anyone else. I so wish they hadn't.
I have a box of letters that my father received during WWII. We found them after he died. Most were from my mother, but others were from friends and relatives. Sadly, we don't have all of them because someone stole my father's letters, so these letters start in 1945. It's interesting to read about daily life during WWII. I remember being fascinated learning that my Aunt and Uncle had to wait to get a refrigerator because they were rationed. After the war, my mother threw away all her letters from Dad because she thought they were too dirty and didn't want her children to find them.
Howdy,
It just so happens that my post today has to do with letter writing ! I've also made a Lemon Cake that's not really a cake but I like to call it that. Have a great day.♥
Cheers,
Barbie
Sounds like an interesting genre.
Ronel visiting for L:
My Languishing TBR: L
Let it Go: Lethe
Years ago I found letter written by my mom and dad during ww2. Talk about a world of uncertainty. However, revealing of mom's and dad's deepest thoughts.
https://www.jitteryg.com/
And my post is L is for Libraries where you will find many of those diaries and letters
https://ballau.blogspot.com/2023/04/in-anno-itinerantur-l-is-for-libraries.html
Here is my contribution.
L is for Lithuanian Language
https://theinkwelljourney.blogspot.com/2023/04/l-is-for-lithuanian-language.html
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