Through Time

I never met my Grandma Elizabeth yet her example left a lasting impression giving me strength and courage to carry on in hard times. She was my Great Great Great Grandma and was born Oct 6, 1822 in Devon Scotland. Her life was one full of hard work, sorrow, and pain. Even with all the trials and challenges she experienced it was said she was cheerful and fun-loving. When Grandma was only 5 years old her father died leaving her mother and two siblings in a very difficult situation. Her mother, out of desperation, married a man who instantly decided Elizabeth was old enough to go work in the coal mines. She would spend all day working in the small, dark, dust filled tunnels pushing the loaded coal carts to the surface. The carts were heavy and strenuous to move; she found it easier to push them using her hands and the top of her head. A bump formed on that spot and it remained with her the rest of her life. Whenever children or grandchildren would groan about their work and duties at home she would call them over to feel the bump and remind them of why they should not complain. Whenever I am frustrated and tired of life, wanting to give up, I think about Grandma and how even her childhood was stolen. I at least got to enjoy the carefree days of youth, while she worked away beautiful days in dark cold mines. I imagine myself rubbing Grandmas head feeling the bump and hearing her say encouraging or chastising words like, “You can do hard things it’s in your blood keep going you got this,” or “Stop your belling aching, this is nothing compared to what I went through!”

During those long hard days in the mines Grandma filled the tunnels with her singing. Her love of music expanded to dance and she became an expert, winning many prizes for her Highland Fling and Scottish Sword Dance. I especially love the story of when she was 75 and went to the annual meeting of the Clans of Saltair. The Master of Ceremonies announced to everyone, “We went to recognize the presence of Elizabeth who has for many years always won the prize for the Highland Dancing. Due to old age, she will not be participating this year.” As the audience applauded their approval, Grandma stood and began to undress. To the amazement of many Grandma stepped out of her long black button down dress fully clothed in her Scottish dance attire. She signaled the piper and with ease and beauty performed the famous Highland Fling to a standing ovation. Even at her 90th birthday celebration she stood and with great agility danced several steps of her beloved “Fling.”

I read the stories of Grandma and think in awe at her tenacity and love of life. She was a force to be reckoned with and even long after her death she is an influence. I read about her taking her four children and sailing across the sea without her husband, who had to go on first and earn money for them to come. She fought not only the waves of sea sickness and storms but also illness breaking out. My moments of cleaning up after sick kids with all my modern conveniences and hospitals near by seem but nothing compared to her. I think about her finally reuniting with her husband after a year of separation and only having snail mail for communication, and my husbands 9 month deployment where we got to FaceTime each other almost daily does not seem so bad. When I was pregnant constantly tired and uncomfortable I’d remember Grandma who walked thousands of miles carrying twins and gave birth to them in a makeshift tent at the mouth of a canyon on a frosty October night.

I am thankful for the example Grandma left for me, for her reaching through the years and lifting me up in the hard and depressing times. She has no idea that the trials and difficulties she went through has inspired me five generations later to push on when everything inside me is screaming to give up.

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If you’d like to read more about my family check this one out!

If you’d like to read a bit about the trails I experienced while my husband was deployed check out this story.