Monday, October 26, 2009

Upsides to the Down Economy/ A Priceless Gift


Yesterday, I gathered at my Aunt Josie's house with my sisters to a take a photo to accompany an article I wrote about her for The Miami Herald's Miami Stories. Although Josie said to the photographer "You're not going to use all the stuff she wrote, are you? Some of its just stupid!", I thought it was important to write the history of how she (and my grandmother and aunts) came to Miami. My great grandfather started the first Italian restaurant in Miami and my grandfather (with his mother and my grandmother) started the first nursing home here. At the Pinecrest Library the other day, the librarian talked about an upcoming speaker who was going to teach children how to write down questions for their grandparents, so they could interview and video tape them. I think this is a great idea and the perfect gift for someone who has everything (like my father-in-law). She explained it was a wonderful way for kids to ask questions of their grandparents now, before they are gone. How many of us have thought about questions we should have asked our loved ones who are no longer around? In this day and age of electronics, where everything passes by us at the speed of light, there is still some inherent value to sitting down and talking to our relatives about the "good old days". Which is what my sisters and I did after the photo shoot was over. Look for the story next Sunday, November 1st, in Neighbors.

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