We lived in Germany from 1955 to 1958. Those were years I will never forget. It was a horrendous trip over with me constantly throwing up and the fog horn blowing continuously. Worse was the fact that I knew the trip was going to have to be repeated three years later on our return to Canada.
A train ride from Le Havre took us to Germany and God truly blessed us as my husband’s relatives were also at the Air Base that was our destination. With their tender care, I finally recovered.
But we didn’t want to wear out their welcome and finally found one room in a house built entirely from bombed out bricks. The city had been leveled by the Canadians Air Force ten years earlier…how ironic that it should be Peace Time Canadian Air Force that too would live in these bombed-out remains.
Later, we decided to get in touch with some of Harry’s German relatives. What a delight to meet his elderly Aunt and to hear Harry speak to her in his very child-like German he had learned at his grandmother’s knee. The air was filled with love and a special kind of bonding took place. It was remarkable to see this happening right before my eyes.
We met her granddaughter who was engaged and we innocently asked when the wedding was to take place. “When she gets pregnant,” was the reply.
Now that was not the answer I had expected, after all this was 1955 and certainly not Canadian values. But it was said with such sincerity by this deeply Christian lady that I just batted my eyes a couple of times and that was that.
It seems an Engagement in Germany was a very legal arrangement in those days and their responsibilities and “freedoms” were a little different than ours.
I have the same problem sorting out things in the Bible…what is moral law, what is traditional law, how do they agree or disagree with Canadian law? It is a puzzlement. And nowadays the standards that were once set are changing so rapidly that it scares the daylights out of most Seniors. I see some good things happening but I don’t see more happy people and I wonder what the results of all this will be. It is obvious that some countries that had practiced an almost complete lack of what I would call moral discipline have started to regret it. I wonder what kind of world my great-grandchildren are inheriting.
I think grandparents and great-grandparents have experienced the same dilemma since the beginning of time.
Thank God that He is present in all of this and will not forsake these little ones that we hold so dear…but occasionally my heart aches and I pray again…God bless and keep them and help them to make our Canada better in all respects.
Photo by Harold Littler via Flickr, CC 2.0.
