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| The rollicking barefoot kids! |
Over the years as I have written posts about My Golden Childhood I have wondered whether I seemed to you, my readers, as one who lives in LaLa Land! I know I have tended to see things in a shiny light and have at times down played the hard times. But truly, my childhood was golden. It was pure and clean and filled with love and the very special people that God bonded into our family.
You know we have this celebration in September to mark the 100 hundred years since my grandfather's arrival at Jooro.(Once a railway siding and district name, now one of my brothers property names) One hundred years of blood, sweat and tears. One hundred years of joyful births and marriages and welcoming new members into the fold. One hundred years........
On the day of the Reunion we will be planting a grove of Moreton Bay Ash in the place where once stood the original little shack that Grandad and Grandma lived in and brought their babies home to. The trees will represent Michael and Lily and the ten children (one stillborn) and hence our families. One of my cousins has penned a beautiful verse entitled "Our Song" which will be erected on a plaque in the grove.
She warmed my heart when replying to my recent email about the Reunion and I thought "I'm not the only one!" I have quoted from her return email:
"I am very relieved to hear that you and S...... both wept tears of love when you read 'Our Song'. When writing it I felt myself being emotionally propelled back into that wonderfully loving and warm place known as childhood, with Grandma and Grandad there, and their boys toiling away, the wives creating a domestic haven whilst we, the barefooted kids, all rollicked our way through imagined wondrous worlds created in the gullies and bauhinia scrubs. I am looking forward to being with the family for this momentous occasion. "
Oh those wondrous worlds!
Here it is:
Our Song
May these "Guarding Gums"
Represent us all
Dear ones who've passed
And dear ones yet to come.
May these Graceful Gums
Flourish on this black soil plain
Proudly bending and bowing
To life's burdens and strain.
May their leaves whisper on gentle breeze
Words of love, tears and yes-ter-year
May their branches span through time
And bind us together, one family, one kind.
Grow, O Silver Gum grow!
Stand tall and stout and strong
And may forever God bless the Clair descendants
Many voices......Michael and Lily's Song.
(To commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Clair Family of Jooro 1912-2012)
The guarding gums is a reference to a poem written by this cousin's father who passed away about eight years ago. He was a deep thinker and poet and many of his poems were too lofty for most of us to comprehend. :-)
You may grow weary of hearing about my family and all our doings over the next month or two. Don't give up on me! Okay?
I too have a wonderful childhood, I just didn't appreciate it at the time as I do know. My parents were strict and we lived by a strict set of rules (I thought so), regardless, life on a farm was wonderful. So I completely understand where you are coming from. One of my favourite memories is all our family get-to-gethers as they were so much fun.
ReplyDeleteSounds truly beautiful and I look forward to hearing more!
ReplyDeleteLove it! So you aren't the only writer in the family! Enjoy the celebration and thanks for taking us along with you!
ReplyDeleteThere are several writers in our family and honestly, I don't think I am one them :-) I am a dabbler in poetry and author of waffly blog posts!
DeleteMorning Ruby :)
ReplyDeleteI love your Golden Childhood - it holds a deep sense of history woven throughout your family life. And although our families had different experiences, I see my own extended family in your stories - the love, the happy memories, the bare feet! - the sense of belonging.
Enjoy your celebrations xo
What lovely plans your family has for honoring the foundation set for you all. I hope all goes well for your reunion.
ReplyDeleteDon't feel bad about talking about your family and history!
ReplyDeleteMine wasn't as golden as yours but I still love reading about it as I hope that my dd can say this about her childhood to her kids and grand kids one day:) it gives me hope:)
Golden childhood aside, what amazing history in your family! I look forward to reading more.
It is wonderful that the older generation have been sharing so much with us, because when that generation have passed the stories are lost unless we preserve them.
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