We Were Happy

The words leaped from the old yellow page…

“We were there for four days, then we decided it was time to go to our own future home, two miles west of Truax (Saskatchewan). We loaded our little bit of furniture into a farm wagon and drove to our home. We had just a few pieces of second hand furniture. But I was so proud of my shiny, new cook stove. It had a big ten gallon reservoir. And we began our life on our own farm. I was so happy in my little three room shack.”

These words were my grandma’s. Emma Caroline Kirkpatrick, around 1985, described for her family the life she had lived through. She was 94 when she committed these words to paper. She was born in 1891 and passed away in 1989.

The next page over in the document makes the most powerful statement… “The farm did pretty good, we had good crops, everything went well and we were happy.” The year that she wrote of was 1916. They had been married in April and now the summer had yielded a good crop on their new farm.

Babies came and the little shack became more full. Now there were 3 babies along with mom and dad in the three rooms. During these years that they lived through, the tragedies that hit the entire world would come close but never actually hit the small family. The Great War of 1914 – 1918 raged on in Europe as they were married and began their new life. The Pandemic of Influenza in 1918 – 1919 raged across the world as their first baby arrived. Many people died in Saskatchewan, north of where my grandparents lived. But for some reason their region was not hit in the same way.

Grandma’s words stand out… “…everything went well and we were happy.” These words are ringing in me – over and over again. “We were happy….”

Her first baby, that she was so looking forward to, was born on October 26. In her words, “On Oct 26 Robert was born. He was a beautiful 10 pound boy. But birth was very difficult and it was a long time before it was over. So my baby got brain damage, he had cerebral palsy and was helpless. It was sad to have to face but we loved him so much.”

“We were happy….” It was 1917 in rural and remote Saskatchewan – far from anywhere…but close to each other and loved ones. Even though it was maybe the most difficult things a young mom could face “We were happy….” stands out from the paper’s face.

In downtown Peterborough there are hundreds of houses that are huge and ornate. They are some of the most elegant homes that one can imagine. Many were built during the exact same period that my grandparents moved to the three room shack on the southern Canadian prairies. The people that built these marvelous mansions lived very well. They had their families and built wonderful futures for their family to come.

But none of them have given a heritage to their children like my grandparents did for us. “We were happy….” stands out like a blazing family crest. We had it all and were happy.

Today – outside our front room window the sun is peeking over the trees across the street. The sky is brilliantly blue and clear. This will be a cooler summer’s day in my world. I am happy – so very happy. Tomorrow our oldest daughter will be 39 and we will celebrate together. “We were happy….” not rich… but happy…. A few aches and pains but we are happy…

Happiness comes as my heritage for which I am so thankful.

~ Pastor Murray Lincoln ~

Reference:
The Great War of 1914-1918
The Pandemic of Influenza in 1918-1919