In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

I found this and thought many would enjoy reading it.

Discussion in 'Everything Else (off topic)' started by Backwoods Savage, Jan 2, 2022.

  1. Backwoods Savage

    Backwoods Savage Moderator

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    For a small amount of perspective at this moment, imagine you were born in 1900. When you are 14, World War I starts, and ends on your 18th birthday with 22 million people killed. Later in the year, a Spanish Flu epidemic hits the planet and runs until you are 20. Fifty million people die from it in those two years. Yes, 50 million.

    When you're 29, the Great Depression begins. Unemployment hits 25%, global GDP drops 27%. That runs until you are 33. The country nearly collapses along with the world economy. When you turn 39, World War II starts. You aren’t even over the hill yet.

    When you're 41, the United States is fully pulled into WWII. Between your 39th and 45th birthday, 75 million people perish in the war and the Holocaust kills six million. At 52, the Korean War starts and five million perish.

    At 64 the Vietnam War begins, and it doesn’t end for many years. Four million people die in that conflict. Approaching your 62nd birthday you have the Cuban Missile Crisis, a tipping point in the Cold War. Life on our planet, as we know it, could well have ended. Great leaders prevented that from happening.

    As you turn 75, the Vietnam War finally ends. Think of everyone on the planet born in 1900. How do you survive all of that? A kid in 1985 didn’t think their 85 year old grandparent understood how hard school was. Yet those grandparents (and now great grandparents) survived through everything listed above.

    Perspective is an amazing art. Let’s try and keep things in perspective. Let’s be smart, help each other out, and we will get through this. In the history of the world, there has never been a storm that lasted. This too, shall pass.


    I was born during WWII so saw some of this. I do not remember WWII but was in school during the Korean war. Many of my schoolmates were in Vietnam.
     
  2. Woodwidow

    Woodwidow

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    Thanks for sharing this. As Jesus' return is imminent, we will see more and more turmoil and upset as predicted by the Bible.
     
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  3. Eric VW

    Eric VW Moderator

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    My great grandmother was born in 1900 and lived to be 97 (although she was gone by 90)… I grew up listening to her stories intently and always respected my elders as a result of what she shared. :yes:
     
  4. Knothead

    Knothead

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    Thank you for the post, Backwoods

    "The Greatest Generation" persevered through difficult times and is a testament to their extraordinary character. Their remarkable actions, during times of war and peace, ultimately made the United States a better place to live. Born and raised in an era marked by war and economic depression, helping to defeat Hitler and Japan, rebuilding the American economy, making advances in science while implementing visionary programs like the CCC, Medicare, NASA and during their lifetime putting a man on the moon! The "Greatest Generation" helped make America the great nation we are today. :usa:
     
    Last edited: Jan 2, 2022
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  5. SimonHS

    SimonHS

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    My maternal grandad was born in 1900 and died in 77.

    He was most amazed by the short gap of 66 years between the first aeroplane flight by the Wright Brothers in 1903 and the first moon landing in 1969. Technology moved so far, so fast. He was an engineer, apprenticed on steam engines.
     
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  6. brenndatomu

    brenndatomu

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    My grandpa was...dad's dad...he died in '81...I have thought back many times on the changes he seen in his life, but then looking back there have been many changes in my 50 years too...
     
  7. tree killer

    tree killer

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    Just saw the obituary of a man that I know his grandson, 106 years old. Born in 1915. Served in WW2 and proud of it.
     
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  8. walt

    walt

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    Yes it is easy to be a little down when we think of some of the things happening in our world now. I believe we are in some very good times we just have to make the most of it.I often ponder what it must have been like for my grandparents to just have came out of a depression and had to take my father to catch a train leaving for WWII. He died in 1989 and it was seven years after his death I found a shoe box of letters that he had wrote home during his five years in the war. He didn't plan on making it out alive.I didn't have the opportunity to serve in the military but I am extremely grateful to the ones that have .
    This is the day which the Lord hath made , we will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118 : 24
     
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  9. brenndatomu

    brenndatomu

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    Excellent attitude Walt...and even better verse. :yes:
     
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  10. Eggshooterist

    Eggshooterist

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    Its the alien technology......
     
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  11. Chris F

    Chris F

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    And that's why I've always looked at the covid response as mass hysteria, because I know and have read and have heard from my parents how bad things were in the last century.
    It's also another reason to celebrate my first year free of the propaganda I used to get from the TV. No more.
     
  12. Eggshooterist

    Eggshooterist

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    I too stopped watching and listening to any news but the weather. Over a year ago now.
     
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  13. tree killer

    tree killer

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    Yes, the panic porn on the TV. Wonder how the Amish survived and lived their normal lives with no worries?
     
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  14. Chris F

    Chris F

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    They all got covid and their death rate was better than the national average and now they all have natural immunity. End of the problem for them.
     
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  15. TurboDiesel

    TurboDiesel

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    Great stories and perspectives, Denny, Walt, Dave, E, Knot, Simon, Tree!
    We owe so much to our fathers, grandfathers, and beyond.:salute:
    They did what was best for their family, their neighborhood, their country.
    They did hard jobs without complaining, and did it because it was their duty.:handshake:


    (And quite frankly, I'm embarrassed by our latest generation... Generation Me.)
     
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  16. Locust Post

    Locust Post

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    God is still in control and not ringing his hands wondering what to do next.
    But also I will say how you must look for truth in this time. It has been quite a wake for some in the last 2 years. 2021 was quite a year and a lot of things that were given the title of "conspiracy theory " have interestingly been proven quite the opposite. I'll stop there and not going political.........
     
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  17. Nitrodave

    Nitrodave

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    My Grandfather to me, was a very tough, intelligent, but understanding man….. he was born in 1901… it all makes sense now.
     
  18. wildwest

    wildwest Moderator

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    Mine were 05 and 07', visits there were the almost the best times of my childhood, they were the most loving/nurturing people I've ever met.
     
  19. wildwest

    wildwest Moderator

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    I wish I had more time to be able to ask them things and hear stories like Eric VW , but I was busy doing kid things and enjoying all the fun stuff kids do on the dilapidated farm and soaking up their incredible care. I did learn a lot of skills there that aren't common anymore, like darning on an egg, crochet and knitting, cooking older staple recipes and even dressing and cooking rabbits. One summer they rented a pasture and there was a horse there, he was character, no matter how I tried he would inhale and hold his breath with a full belly (saddle would slide over), turned out he did not mind me riding him bare back. The memories go on and on though time with them was the ultimate gift. After I ended up being home alot in the mid/late 2000's I ended up doing genealogy research. WOW WOW WOW! To realize this family (only 5 generations in Colorado from 1860 which includes me-interesting huh) went through all the above in Backwoods Savage post. Amazing. My grandparents and their son (my father) made the best indelible impression on me and who I strive to emulate.
     
  20. wildwest

    wildwest Moderator

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    I'm quite proud though that I found my grandparents infants unmarked grave after decades of nobody knowing where he was buried, and WWW and I put a grave marker on it.
     
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