People are often amazed by me and by all the information I know about my family and our ancestors. I am often amazed at people who don’t know where their own parents were born or the real names of their grandparents. I sat listening to my grandpas today while they enjoyed their Father’s Day dinner. They reminisced about their lives throughout their youth and into adulthood and as usual I was intrigued and inspired by their stories. I regret not taking the time to just sit and listen to them when I was a child. My cousins and I used to make jokes about who was going to get “stuck” with them while they told one of their stories. How I would give anything to turn back the hands of time and soak in all of their words.

People are far too often taken for granted. This is especially true for the elderly. Youth would rather put them away to be forgotten or just ignore them all together since our culture is incessantly obsessed with staying young and dread even the thought of having to grow older.

It is important to listen to our elders. They have wisdom and experience to share and it is shameful to let it go to waste. My Poppies, as I referred to my mother’s father, played major league baseball in the 1950s and early 60s. As one of the few African-American ballplayers, he was a hero to many in his race, especially so since he was the star player for a few seasons for one of his teams. I wished I had listened more intensely when he would tell us stories of how things were back then. If I did listen, it would only be partially since I was probably itching to go outside and play or go sit in front of the television. When I was 14, my poppies died very unexpectedly, and unfortunately, most of his stories, memories and experiences died with him because I rarely took the time to allow him to share them with me.

Although saddened, I am never regretful. This instance taught me the importance of being a good listener and never taking my loved ones for granted. Most people never write an autobiography so when they’re gone, they’re gone. Only through those they leave behind can they truly live on, and only if those people took the time to learn their story.