Do you remember the old adages used most often by members ofyour family? Were there any that reallystruck home that should not be forgotten? Record these old sayings and tell the stories of how they were used andwhere they came from.
My family had a knack for answering my questions about lifewith adages. At the time, it seemedcomical to me, but they have been for me pearls of wisdom. I believe that when they recited them to me, thevery circumstances came to mind which caused the sayings to be etched intotheir memory banks.
I do wish that I had been wise enough during those times toask the right questions. I am sure Iwould have learned more about them personally.
I can still hear the sayings my father used to teach mecertain principles:
- Use your head, for more than a hat rack! - My father used this one to teach me tothink analytically.
- What goes around comes around – Dad would saythis to teach the importance of treating people fairly. He would not retaliate when people treatedhim unkindly.
- A winner never quits, and a quitter never wins – He wanted me to understand that life could get hard, butI would always be successful if I stuck it out.
- Trust nothing living, and walk carefully aroundthe dead – I would laugh when my father recited this one, but I this was hisway of teaching his young daughter to safeguard herself in this world.
When I learned that things happen in life to us that are notfair, I would exclaim, “Life is not fair!” I had one uncle who would just say, “You areright. It isn’t,” but how grateful I am toanother uncle who took the time to recite a poem which I cannot remember infull. I do remember part of it and thecalm I felt after he told it. I hope oneday I will run into someone who will help me remember how the rest of it goes:
It starts out about how one day Wrong takes over and Right juststeps back. Wrong ruled for such a verylong time, and Right allows it. Therecomes a day, however, when Wrong’s time is up. Right says, “Okay Wrong, youhave ruled for oh so long! It is timefor you to step aside and let me take over.” Right puts down Wrong for good.
I was a teenager when I first heard this. I would ask my Uncle to tell it over and overbecause of the hope it gave me. Whatfamily sayings made the greatest impression on you?
by Robin Foster © 2014, Genealogists.com. All rights reserved
