Ann was 4 years old when Mother Ferry's letter was written. This is her reaction to the letter:
IT WAS SUCH A SHOCK FOR ME TO EVEN KNOW SUCH A LETTER EXISTED. IT’S VERY EMOTIONAL. IT WAS JUST A FEW DAYS AFTER PEARL HARBOR.
IT WAS AS THOUGH THIS LETTER WAS MAILED DIRECTLY TO ME FROM HEAVEN AND PROVED TO AWAKE MANY EMOTIONS.
ON THE LIGHT SIDE, I DO HAVE ONE MEMORY OF THIS VISIT. MY UNCLE AND COUSINS ASKED IF I STILL BELIEVED IN SANTA CLAUS. EVEN AT AGE 4, I KNEW THIS QUESTION COULD ONLY MEAN ONE THING. AND AS FAR AS I WAS CONCERNED, IT WAS NOT GOOD.
WHEN I READ THS LETTER I WONDER WHY I’M 200 MILES AWAY FROM MY ENTIRE FAMILY. WITH FOUR SIBLINGS AT THE TIME, COULDN’T AT LEAST ONE OF THEM GONE WITH ME?
THE DATE DECEMBER 7, 1941, IS A DATE THAT RIVALS 9/11 IN MEMORIES OF MY GENERATION. THIS LETTER WAS WRITTEN 6 DAYS LATER. SHE MENTIONS BILL, WHO WAS IN THE US ARMY AT THE TIME. OF COURSE HE WOULDN’T BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS. I DO REMEMBER MOTHER FERRY MISSING HIM OTHER CHRISTMASES AS THE WAR WENT ON FOR OVER 3 MORE YEARS.
I DON’T REMEMBER THIS EXACT BLACKOUT BUT I DO REMEMBER BLACKOUTS AS WE CONTINUED TO TAKE TRIPS TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. NOT ONE BIT OF LIGHT COULD BE VISIBE FROM THE WINDOWS. THEY WERE FRIGHTENING BUT KIND OF EXCITING.
I LOVE HER COMMENT, “I GUESS WE HAVE TO GO ON.” THIS IS SAID BY SOMEONE WHO HAS LOST A 4 YEAR OLD, A 17 YEAR OLD, AND HER HUSBAND. EVEN WITH HER WORLD SO SCARY AND HER FEELING LONELY, SHE KNEW ONE MUST KEEP LIVING. I REMEMBER HER ALWAYS EXUDING HAPPINESS, LOVE, AND PATIENCE.
THANK YOU, SUE, FOR THIS EXTRAORDINARY VISIT WITH SOMEONE VERY SPECIAL AND MUCH LOVED BY ME.
ANN
No comments:
Post a Comment