JOSEPH & DOROTHY
My Grandparents (Joseph & Dorothy) inspired me so greatly. They both grew up in Boston and remained in the area for the rest of their lives. Boston is where they fell in love, got married, had two beautiful daughters and lived out their unconditional love that will forever be imprinted in time.
THE WAR
In the midst of World War II, my Grandfather (Papa) and my Grandmother (Nana) exchanged love letters. They weren't yet married at this time... Papa didn't want Nana to be a widow because he believed he wasn't coming back home. It was obviously a tough time for them and the country but their love for one another never faltered even in the midst of the heartbreak and terror of war.
I remember having a conversation with Papa at the infamous kitchen table in Medford, MA asking him about the war. It's a conversation I'll never forget. I have always been extremely interested in World War II; it's such a monumental time in history. I feel like if you don't remind yourself of the past, it'll be like the past never happened. It was obviously hard for Papa to talk to me about the war.
In World War II, Papa was a medic in the United States Army... what he had seen was unimaginable but he never lost his spirit and hope in humanity. You read things about World War II or see documentaries but it doesn't compare to listening to first hand accounts. I was fortunate enough to have this conversation with Papa before he passed. A part of me thinks he talked to me about it because if you talk to a younger generation about the war and instill knowledge then maybe the horrors of the past won't be repeated. At that point it was 60+ years after the war when we had this conversation... and the emotions were still raw. The horrors were forever embedded in his mind. Nana told me how when he first got back from the war Papa would wake up in the middle of the night screaming and ducking under the bed thinking he was in his foxhole and taking heavy fire. Back then PTSD was unheard of and with time, wounds healed but memories never vanished.
THE LETTERS
These letters are just a small glimpse into that historic time and how true love can conquer and rise above what ever horrors the world may be facing. I was fortunate enough to inherit these letters. I was fascinated by them and Papa noticed that and gave them to me. They are the most precious things I own. Papa and Nana's love lives on in these letters... and honestly this blog post it the toughest I've written because it's so personal. But I wanted to share their special story with you. They showed me what true love is and I'm forever thankful they are my Grandparents. Their lives live on in the hearts of their two daughters and three grandchildren.
WHAT TO TAKEAWAY
True love really does exist, but in today's world some may think it doesn't. Ever lasting love takes sacrifice but we have expectations now-a-days for perfection. We put too much pressure on relationships to be perfect in every way. Just take a look at the pressures from social media alone. Love as much as you can and be true to yourself. Be genuine in all that you do.
I have hope for my generation and for generations to come. We have to rise above the pressures that we set for ourselves and our partners. We have to be more compassionate and not so superficial.
I was fortunate enough to witness positive relationships growing up and I know that not everyone gets that. But I do believe that whatever your background, everyone is capable of loving unconditionally. We're born with it. Ultimately you just have to love yourself first before you are able to love others. It starts with you.
The final thing I want to express here is to never forget where you come from and the sacrifices the generations before you have made. You are who you are because of your past. Take knowledge from the generations before you, try to understand it, have respect for it and I guarantee the future will be a better because of it.