The Hand
What can be said about the calloused hand from a life time of hard work?
This hand belonged to my grandpa who was a German immigrant to the United States shortly after the end of World War I. Times were tough in Germany and he embarked on a voyage to America in hopes of finding a better life. A non-English speaker with only a second grade education, he was at the mercy of those he met.
His path eventually took him to Kansas where he worked on a farm, met and married my grandma, and started a family. Needless to say, they didn't have much. For shortly after arriving, the stock markets crashed and World War II began. He worked long hours as a farmer and a heavy equipment operator to support his family. Even though he had a job, things were scarce. They had what they needed, but luxuries such as toys, new shoes, or new clothing was something unheard of. Kids had to use their imagination and pretend. Toys R Us was decades from opening and a welfare system did not exist. In those days, poor people were poor and worked hard to put food on the table and clothe their family. If they didn't work, they didn't eat. In fact, my grandma had to dye her wedding dress green and cut it up to make clothing for the family.
One of my mom's favorite stories to tell in her words is this:
"After long days of work on the roads and fields, my dad would rest in his chair and sleep. My three year old baby sister, the youngest in the family, would take the hand of her beloved father and pretend it was a baby doll. All the while he slept, she would play dolls. She would pass the evening feeding, burping, and dressing this hand complete with a baby bonnet. Occasionally, he would stir and the hand would move a little, or maybe he would pretend with her for a minute before he would doze off again. Being near him in his presence was all this toddler needed to be content."
This hand belonged to my grandpa who was a German immigrant to the United States shortly after the end of World War I. Times were tough in Germany and he embarked on a voyage to America in hopes of finding a better life. A non-English speaker with only a second grade education, he was at the mercy of those he met.
His path eventually took him to Kansas where he worked on a farm, met and married my grandma, and started a family. Needless to say, they didn't have much. For shortly after arriving, the stock markets crashed and World War II began. He worked long hours as a farmer and a heavy equipment operator to support his family. Even though he had a job, things were scarce. They had what they needed, but luxuries such as toys, new shoes, or new clothing was something unheard of. Kids had to use their imagination and pretend. Toys R Us was decades from opening and a welfare system did not exist. In those days, poor people were poor and worked hard to put food on the table and clothe their family. If they didn't work, they didn't eat. In fact, my grandma had to dye her wedding dress green and cut it up to make clothing for the family.
One of my mom's favorite stories to tell in her words is this:
"After long days of work on the roads and fields, my dad would rest in his chair and sleep. My three year old baby sister, the youngest in the family, would take the hand of her beloved father and pretend it was a baby doll. All the while he slept, she would play dolls. She would pass the evening feeding, burping, and dressing this hand complete with a baby bonnet. Occasionally, he would stir and the hand would move a little, or maybe he would pretend with her for a minute before he would doze off again. Being near him in his presence was all this toddler needed to be content."
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