Telescope of Time – dVerse prosery

Telescope of time

‘He had hands like yours,’ my Grandma tells my husband-to-be one Sunday afternoon. We’ve just popped in to say hello. She’s in a reminiscent mood (when is she ever not?) talking about my Grandad, of course. My Grandad who I’d never met. Of three husbands, he’d been the only one she’d truly loved. She hands us the photo. She watches for our reaction from across the room. We look at him through the wrong end of the long telescope of time: him, her, the two of them back in time, crossing the road hand in hand towards an unknown future. They couldn’t have foreseen any of it: the five children; the emigration to Canada; his watery death in an unmarked grave. Though he appears far back in time to the two of us, she sees him as though she’s looking through a window, yesterday.

Written for dVerse Prosery Monday, where Kim is hosting. She has given us these lines from D.H. Lawrence to incorporate into our prose:

‘We look at him through the wrong end of the long telescope of Time’.

My Grandma had so many stories, married and widowed 3 times and mother of 5 children. She was a displaced person from Latvia after the Second World War, and she came to the UK to train as a nurse. One day I’d like to tell the story of her life. The above is just a snapshot from it.

Through the telescope of time.
My Grandma and Grandad, c.1950

54 thoughts on “Telescope of Time – dVerse prosery”

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  6. Grandparents do give us plenty of material, Ingrid. My children’s novel was based on stories my grandmother told me. I was very lucky to have known my grandfather, who would have perished with half his family if he hadn’t insisted on going to work that day. I love your snapshot very much and the thought of your grandparents ‘crossing the road hand in hand towards an unknown future’.

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  7. As I research my family’s genealogy I realize there are stories I should have been told, and many questions I should have asked. Having your grandmothers tales is a true gift.

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  9. Your grandma was a person who decided to live life to the fullest, that much is clear. I would love to read a book of her stories by you. You did this one up just right.

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  11. Oh yes, do tell more of her story! Your grandma sounds like a brave and interesting soul whose story would make great reading! What a wonderful use of the prompt! Leaves us wanting more! Reminds me of my favorite aunt who always told me, “You have your grandfather’s eyes.” Creates quite an impression!

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  14. lovely piece Ingrid. WWII was amazingly/tragically disruptive to so many – my mum was displaced from Germany, came to UK, trained as a nurse, emigrated (to Australia) – and I’m sure in a suitcase somewhere I have a photo much like the one above. Someone once said that time is an illusion – the past and present are right here – held by our memories – and stories like this.

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    1. I think that someone was right! My Grandma cried at the end of the war – she too was stuck in Germany with nowhere to go. Luckily she made it to the UK, went on to emigrate to Canada but ended up back in the UK after the death of her husband.

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  15. What a wonderful story! I love the idea of looking back is like turning the telescope around and looking through the other end. The view is somewhat distorted, but perfect non the less! The photo is priceless!

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    1. Yes, she was a nurse in a field hospital and she saw some terrible things. She didn’t talk about it but she probably had PTSD as she was troubled ‘with her nerves’ the rest of her life.

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  24. Wow Ingrid this was beautiful. Much love in the telling, much love and your grandma. Isn’t it amazing how time can appear to one person has a long far away thing – while to another it feels like yesterday.The magic of love and memory. This is really well written and I enjoyed it.

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  25. This is such an interesting story…and then to see the photo and read your notes and find it is true. To be widowed three times….what a strong woman to have tried love again, and again….to be vulnerable again and again. I definitely think you should gather materials and write her entire story….something to hand down for generations.

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