Describe a positive thing a family member has done for you.
Tomorrow marks my late grandfather’s 100th birthday. He was my favorite grandfather and always had stories of wisdom to share.
There is one particular quote he used often that really resonated with me as a life lesson:
“You can accomplish anything you want and all you need to do is set your mind to it.”
Opa Weterings
I remember sitting on the couch with my opa playing cards, and watching cowboy movies. We had a lot of chats about things that happened with him and his family his upbringing, a TB outbreak, the second world war, and other things. The war was a thing that was always on his mind, – they were deep scars, and while he did not like to share, there were several occasions where he did share.
My grandfather was put to work in a workcamp as he has metalworking skills that were very much needed. During the war he experienced things that he could not talk about later because they were so vial and evil that the mere mention of these events would bring back a lot of painful memories.
We did not notice a lot growing up from the mental scars that my grandfather had from the war, as we got older, he would share how they had to eat tulip bulbs in the hunger winter, and he would not eat beets. He said that beets are for pigs.
My grandfather was a very caring man, he was really good to my grandmother though I do remember where he simply could not help my grandmother, and this was when she had stepped on a mouse’s tail. She stood there on one leg screaming, while the mouse on the other foot kept jumping and flopping around in an attempt to break free. My grandfather was very much amused by this, actually I do not think I have seen my grandfather laugh as hard as he did then. Well, there was one other time where he sneezed his dentures across the dinner table!
I remember coming over to their house on Saturday mornings and oma would make eggs in the egg cooker and we got to sit on Opa’s lap and eat an egg out of an egg holder and they were soft eggs!
I remember that my grandfather had a contest or sport going with apple peels… he would peel an apple so thin in an attempt to make the longest apple peel string ever… fun thing is that I find myself doing this now! Oh! And i also got an egg cooker.
My grandfather was proud of me too. He even came to visit me with my mom in 2000. We went to Great Falls, Shenandoah National Park and we had an amazing time.
I have so many fond memories of my grandfather and tomorrow, I am lighting a candle to honor him on his birthday, to thank him for being the best opa a granddaughter could ever wish for and to remember all the great memories we made.
Until we meet again opa!
Happy birthday! Party with oma, your sisters & brothers, and all those you love!
Love you always!
Inga’s Creations 
My dad!!!
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My Uncle Jos, my mother is his youngest sister. She’s 92, I remember visiting my uncle and aunt. I learned drinking coffee by them and they got a little coffee cup especially for me🥰
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Oooh koffie verkeerd! With whipped cream on top!
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Thank you for sharing. Fills me with joy you had a great relationship. My grand daughter is 2 years. We are quite connected and have soo much fun! I can see how wonderful these moments can impact with your story. Thank you
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I believe as a grandparent that you are in quite a unique position to influence a new generation from a distance. Kids tend to not listen as well to their parents as they do to their grandparents. Your knowledge and wisdom that you have gained to get to where you are is a wealth of information. It is the core reason that I share because my grandparents shared with me their lessons that they were taught by their parents and grandparents, so these generational transfers of knowledge become priceless in a society that is controlled by machines and gadgets.
My grandparents were raised in a different culture, with different standards. Younger generations know a lot from the Internet but common sense and doing for yourself is not a thing.
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Very true! I have a very spiritual connection with her. We actually communicate with our minds, she can call and talk to me when she likes. I hear her sometimes and when I go to her she really wants me to hold her.
Hopefully you can visit your grandpa, tell him you love him and pour out your feelings. Listening to my grandbaby from far away makes me feel loved. So much I started creating a similar bond with my daughter, but I raised her alone, so we have been close already and I listen best I can. Sometimes, being a grandpa I let many words come out just talking and sharing. But no matter how old we get from children to elderly, stopping to listen is key. Stopping to smell the roses. Great topic. Thank you very much. I feel honored to be able to share.
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Like you, I do have a spiritual connection with him as well as with my great grandparents. My mom gave me my great grandmothers apron and i have a picture of her now along with pictures of my grandfather. The funny thing is that I already knew what my great grandmother looked like even though i had never seen her picture. She is part of my driving force.. she ran a farm though Ww1 and Ww2, the spanish flue, smallpox, plague, and open TB outbreaks. As far ers they lived off the land. I talk to my grandparents and my great grandparents all the tine and ask them for guidance. Oftentimes it is the soul search, the “what would opa do?” Or the “how would oma oma have done this?” So you can take a step back, change perspectives, and come up with a solution.
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Truly beautiful. My daughter’s connection with her German family carries the name Pearl. It was my daughter’s great great grandma. I will have to tell her the knowledge you shared with me and I too will do the same and connect with my ancestors.
My parents are so negative in words and lifestyle, in my opinion. So I focused so much in the youth and can’t talk to my living parents, so I have allowed myself to be cut off from them. Sounds like you are receiving knowledge and wisdom from far beyond. Thank you very much.
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